Syrian Opposition Figure Calls for Talks with Russia

A Syrian opposition figure on Thursday called on the Arab League to hold talks with Russia before turning to the United Nations for intervention in the Syria crisis.

"We hope to see Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi head to Moscow before New York," said Haitham Mannaa of the Syrian National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change, the second largest coalition after the Syrian National Council.

Mannaa, whose group is strongly opposed to international intervention in Syria, warned that Russia would stand even more staunchly by the side of the embattled regime should it feel sidelined.

"Russia could support the Arab League proposal if it feels that it is a party that is directly involved but if sidelined, it would stand against it," Mannaa told AFP by telephone.

"Russia wants a bigger role."

Russia and China have both blocked attempts to have the Security Council formally condemn Syrian President Bashar Assad's crackdown on dissent and impose stiff sanctions if he refuses to enter direct talks.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said this week however that Russia would consider "constructive proposals" to end the bloodshed in Syria.

Lavrov warned any Security Council resolution could not be "used or interpreted to justify anyone's outside military intervention in the Syria crisis."

The Arab League chief and Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, head of the bloc's panel on Syria, will meet with the Security Council in New York on Monday to seek ratification of a Syria plan which would see Assad cede power to his deputy and clear the way for a national unity government.

Arab League ministers meeting in Cairo last week had asked for UN support in their efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria, where a crackdown on protests has left more than 5,400 people dead since March.