Russia claims Assad promised 'end to violence'

**Chris** · February-7th-2012, 07:19 PM

Russia claims Assad promised 'end to violence'
By OREN KESSLER AND REUTERS
France, Gulf states pull envoys; 19 killed as Moscow's top diplomat visits Damascus; leaked emails purport to show regime's tactics for manipulating Western media.
Syria's Assad meets Russian FM Lavrov in Damascus By REUTERS

Russia won a promise from Syrian President Bashar Assad on Tuesday to bring an end to bloodshed in his country, but Western and Arab states acted to isolate Assad further after activists and rebels said his forces killed over 100 in the city of Homs. Visiting Damascus, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hinted that the issue of Assad giving up power – a central element of the Arab proposal that Russia vetoed this week at the UN Security Council – had been raised. Assad said he would cooperate with any plan that stabilized Syria, but made clear that it would only include an earlier Arab League proposal that called for dialogue, release of prisoners and withdrawing the army from protest centers.

France withdrew its ambassador on Tuesday, vowing not to give up on peace efforts and saying Assad’s days at the helm are numbered. Opposition activists said government forces renewed shelling of Homs just before Lavrov’s arrival, killing 19 people in an onslaught they say has claimed more than 300 lives in the past five days. There were also reports from residents of shelling and fighting between government and rebel forces in Hama, another urban stronghold of anti-Assad sentiment.

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**Chris** · February-7th-2012, 07:23 PM

Syria resumes assault on Homs as Russians visit
By REUTERS 02/07/2012 09:43
Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, intelligence chief Fradkov arrive in Damascus for talks; over 95 killed in Homs.
Military vehicle seen in Syria, Homs By Reuters

AMMAN - Syrian forces renewed their bombardment of Homs on Tuesday as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Damascus for talks aimed at pressing President Bashar Assad to end a bloody crackdown on a popular revolt and carry out reforms. Activists said the fresh assault on Homs came after 95 people were killed on Monday in the city of one million people, a hub of protest and armed opposition against Assad. More than 200 were reported killed there on Friday night.

"The bombardment is again concentrating on Baba Amro (district of Homs). A doctor tried to get in there this morning but I heard he was wounded," Mohammad al-Hassan, an activist in Homs, told Reuters by satellite phone. "There is no electricity and all communication with the neighborhood has been cut." Authorities say the military is fighting "terrorists" in Homs bent on dividing and sabotaging the country. State media said "tens" of terrorists and six members of the security forces were killed in clashes there on Monday.

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