WORLD_ Russia has not delivered missiles to Syria: reports

Russia has not delivered missiles to Syria: reports
SBS
31 May 2013, 5:41 pm - Source: AAP




Russian media rejected claims that air defence missiles have been delivered to the Syrian regime. (AAP)


Russian media have rejected claims that air defence missiles have been delivered to the Syrian regime, saying the consignment could take another year.


Russia may not deliver a hugely controversial consignment of S-300 air defence missile systems to the Syrian regime this year, two Russian newspapers reported, rejecting claims the weapons had already arrived in the country.

Friday's Vedomosti daily cited a Russian defence industry source as saying it was unclear if the weapons would be delivered to Syria this year while the Kommersant daily quoted its source as saying that delivery was only planned in the second quarter of 2014.

President Bashar al-Assad appeared to imply in an interview with Al-Manar television broadcast ON Thursday that Russia had already delivered some of the promised ground-to-air S-300 missile systems.

But both sources quoted by Kommersant and Vedomosti said that no delivery of the missiles had taken place yet.

The contract was agreed in 2010 and according to Vedomosti is worth $US1 billion ($A1.04 billion).

Kommersant added that after delivery in 2014, a minimum of another six months would be needed for the training of personnel and tests before the systems were fully operational.

The source quoted by Vedomosti meanwhile said that while the Russian government is insisting in public that the contract will be fulfilled, this does not mean that the actual deliveries will ever take place.

No further details were given.

The widely-admired missile systems are seen by analysts as having huge military importance for Assad in the conflict against rebels as the weapons could be used to ward off Western or Israeli air strikes against regime targets.

Read more: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1773110/Russia-has-not-delivered-missiles-to-Syria:-reports


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WORLD_ Russia's S300 rockets are not a game-changer for Syria

Russia's S300 rockets are not a game-changer for Syria

By David Blair World Last updated: May 30th, 2013

142 Comments Comment on this article





Bashar al-Assad, apparently brimming with confidence, has given an interview to al-Manar, a satellite channel controlled by his steadfast ally, Hizbollah. In this performance, due to be broadcast later today, Assad supposedly discloses that “Syria has received the first shipment of Russian anti-aircraft S300 rockets”. He adds that the “rest” will “arrive soon”.

Russia’s sale of the S300 air defence system to Syria has attracted a good deal of attention, but some important points have been overlooked. First of all, even if the weapons are finally delivered in full, Syria’s armed forces will need at least six months to make them operational. You cannot get anti-aircraft missiles up and running overnight. So putting everything at the very best, the S300 will not be capable of protecting Assad’s regime against air strikes from Israel or the West until around the end of the year. I would guess that some people will be doing their best to make it difficult for Syria to make the S300 operational, so this timetable might turn out to be optimistic.

Second, the S300 is not an impenetrable shield. If America decides to impose a no-fly zone over Syria, its air force will be able to disable this type of defence system just as it would have destroyed any other. The S300 might impose a marginal increase in the risks and costs of a no-fly zone, but not enough to be a “game-changer”. Put simply, if Barack Obama is going to intervene in Syria’s war by closing the country’s airspace to Assad’s jets and helicopters – which still seems unlikely – he will do it with or without the S300.

Finally, the Russian sale has been presented as retaliation for the lifting of the European Union arms embargo. In fact, Russia’s contract to export the S300 to Syria was signed long before the EU’s decision. In all probability, this sale would have happened anyway.

So Assad has been given a chance to trumpet his recent military successes and give the impression that the balance of the conflict is tipping his way. But there is a lot less to the S300 affair than meets the eye.

Read more by David Blair on Telegraph Blogs

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Tags: Bashar al-Assad, Russia, Syria

*** 143 Comments

Read more: http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/davidblair/100219332/russias-s300-rockets-are-not-a-game-changer-for-syria/



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WORLD_ SYRIA_ The price will be high, but the key to Syria's civil war lies in Vladimir Putin’s Moscow

The price will be high, but the key to Syria's civil war lies in Vladimir Putin’s Moscow

The Russians have invested a lot in President Bashar al-Assad – but they know his regime is doomed

By Ehud Barak
7:59PM BST 30 May 2013


Talk about a tough neighbourhood. The unfolding tragedy in Syria has claimed more than 75,000 lives and created more than two million refugees; the Assad regime has used nerve agents against its own people; and Syrian rebel groups have videotaped executions and even engaged in cannibalism in the name of God. Lives have been lost and red lines have been crossed. Yet there seems to be no end in sight.

Besides the human cost to the people of Syria, the failure to address the crisis carries three main risks to all who have an interest in preserving peace and stability in the Middle East. First, the fires of tribal and sectarian blood-feuds are not easily doused in our region. The longer this conflict goes on, the greater the chances that a post-Assad Syria will end up a Somalia – a failed state of constantly warring factions.

Second, the more often chemical weapons are used, even on a small scale, the greater the chances that they will be employed en masse. So too, with each passing day, the prospects grow that these weapons will fall into terrorist hands. Israel is acutely aware of this danger and is committed to doing whatever is necessary to prevent Hizbollah from obtaining Syria’s lethal arsenal.

Third, the Syrian crisis, dangerous as it is, detracts leaders from effectively tackling a problem whose risks are far more acute – a nuclear-armed Iran.


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Admittedly, there are no easy answers for dealing with Syria. True, Assad’s armed forces are weak and debilitated by infighting. His air force and air defence systems could be destroyed in a relatively short time by powers both inside and outside the region. But that won’t necessarily end the fighting or secure the chemical weapons.

The other alternatives – a US, Nato or Turkish imposed “no fly zone”, the establishment of a safe corridor for refugees, and US or Israeli strikes against the chemical weapons facilities – are also not without significant risks.

While all these must remain on the table, right now the best chance for a successful resolution of the Syrian crisis is a diplomatic initiative led by Russia.

The Kremlin has at its disposal the necessary leverage to convince Assad to leave, or at least to stop the fighting. The Russians, for whom the naval bases in Tartous and Latakia have strategic importance, have invested a lot of political capital, financial resources and prestige in the Assad dynasty over the past four decades. They trained and equipped the Syrian army; they provided it with intelligence gathering capabilities. And they are on first-name terms with the Syrian generals who command the chemical weapons units.

Russian military support for Syria is not a thing of the past. Their readiness to provide Assad with improved radars for the Yakhont surface-to-sea missile systems is deeply concerning. Even more worrying is their intention to supply the Syrians with the S300 anti-aircraft system, which could alter the delicate balance of weapon systems in the region.

But despite this support, the Russian leadership, shrewd as ever, well understands that the Assad regime is ultimately doomed, even if the Kremlin prefers not to say so publicly. Nor does Russia want to see Islamic fundamentalists ruling Syria or endless civil war in a failed state. Russia has every reason to be a leading partner in a post-Assad Syria and to protect its strategic interests there.

That is why, in a mirror-image of what happened in Libya, where Russia was asked to support a European-led effort backed by the US, here Russia must be convinced to lead the international effort in Syria.

The Russians, like all of us, are far from perfect. But they are an important world power with special relevance to Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and the Middle East. Their interests and perspectives have to be seriously taken into account.

There will definitely be a price to be paid for Russia’s readiness to lead. Missile defence in Europe could be raised, as well as issues related to the “near abroad” (Ukraine, Belarus and the likes), the Caucasus power balance, possibly even some energy and trade concerns. But all these should not deter us from entering into this dialogue. They are all legitimate interests of Russia. The international diplomatic arena, though, is a Gestalt where everything is dependent on everything else. And the cards held by the US, Europe and other players make the West’s hand as strong, if not stronger, than the Russian one.

The Russians, however cool they play it, fully understand the urgency of the Syrian issue and the risks. They will surely drive a hard bargain. But President Putin operated in a very responsible manner when it came to the supply of advanced air defence systems to Iran. We still have several months before the S300s in Syria could turn operational. And however modern and effective the system is, it is not invincible or indestructible.

I believe that with the right approach, President Putin will act responsibly again, and I believe that a successful Russian-led effort in Syria could help transform its attitude towards constructive cooperation in other sour international theatres.

There is no reason why a mutually agreed special role for Russia in post-Assad Syria, to include recognising its naval interests, could not be found. While US Secretary of State John Kerry’s recent diplomatic efforts have not yet borne fruit, he and his administration should be applauded for trying sincerely to tackle it.

Given the high costs of allowing the carnage in Syria to continue and the high risks entailed in alternative courses of action, we should not abandon the effort. The key to Syria still lies in Moscow, and there is no time to wait.

Ehud Barak is a former prime minister of Israel and was defence minister 2007-13


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WORLD_ Syria says it's received Russian missile shipment

Syria says it's received Russian missile shipment

Lebanese TV quotes Syrian president saying long-range missiles have arrived

The Associated Press
Posted: May 30, 2013 4:14 AM ET Last Updated: May 30, 2013 6:38 AM ET
Read 30 comments30




A Russian S-300 anti-aircraft missile system is shown at an undisclosed Russian location. Israel has said that the Russian plan to supply Syria with the weapons is a threat that Israel is prepared to use force to stop. (Associated Press)


The Syrian president has told Lebanon's Hezbollah-owned TV station that Damascus received the first shipment of Russian air defence missiles, according to remarks released by the station Thursday.

Bashar Assad's comment on the arrival of the long-range S-300 air defence missiles in Syria could further ratchet up tensions in the region and further undermine efforts to hold UN-sponsored talks with Syria's warring sides.

Israel's defence chief, Moshe Yaalon, said earlier this week that Russia's plan to supply Syria with the weapons is a threat and that Israel was prepared to use force to stop the delivery.

Read about the Syrian conflict's key players

The Al-Manar TV, owned by the Lebanese militant Hezbollah group, released Assad's comment on the Russian missiles through its breaking news service to clients on Thursday morning. An official at the station confirmed to The Associated Press that the remark was from the interview.

The TV is to air the exclusive interview in full later Thursday.

The shipment of the missiles, if confirmed, comes just days after the European Union lifted an arms embargo on Syria, paving way for individual countries of the 27-member bloc to send weapons to rebels fighting to topple Assad's regime.

The developments raise fears of an arms race — not just between Assad's forces and the opposition fighters battling to topple his regime, but also in the wider Middle East.

Israel has carried out several airstrikes in Syria in recent months that are believed to have destroyed weapons shipments bound for Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shia group that is an Assad ally, along with Iran and Russia. It is not clear whether Israeli warplanes entered Syrian airspace in these attacks.

With the Russian missiles in Syria's possession, the Israeli air force's ability to strike inside the country could be limited since the S-300s would expand Syria's capabilities, allowing it to counter airstrikes launched from foreign airspace as well.

The S-300s have a range of up to 200 kilometres and the capability to track and strike multiple targets simultaneously. Syria already possesses Russian-made air defences, and Israel is believed to have used long-distance bombs fired from Israeli or Lebanese airspace.

When Israeli warplanes struck near the capital of Damascus, targeting purported Iranian missiles intended for Hezbollah earlier this month, Syria did not respond.

But on Wednesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem told Lebanon's Al-Mayadeen TV that Damascus "will retaliate immediately" if Israel strikes Syrian soil again.

It was the regime's most serious warning to Israel since the beginning of the conflict in March 2011 but it was not clear if there was a link between al-Moallem's remark and the Russian shipment.

Israel has long lobbied Moscow over the planned sale of S-300 air-defence missiles to Syria. However, on Tuesday, Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, said his government remained committed to the deal.

Monday's decision by the EU to lift the arms embargo opened the possibility for individual countries to send weapons to Assad's outgunned opponents, though there was no indication any single European country would send lethal weapons to the rebels anytime soon.

Britain and France, the main military powers in the EU, had pushed for the lifting of the embargo, arguing that Europe's threat of arming the rebels would force Assad to negotiate in good faith.

Russia harshly criticized Europe's decision, saying it undercuts international efforts to bring the opposing sides in Syrian conflict together for a peace conference.

There was no immediate reaction from Israel on the Russian shipment but Silvan Shalom, a Cabinet minister from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party, told Israel Radio that the Jewish state will "take actions" to make sure advanced weapons don't reach rogue groups.

Prospects for convening a peace conference on Syria were further thrown in doubt after al-Moallem said Wednesday that Assad intends to remain Syria's president at least until elections in 2014 and might run for another term.

The Syrian foreign minister also said any deal reached in eventual talks with the opposition would have to be put to a referendum, introducing a new condition that could complicate efforts by the U.S. and Russia to bring the two sides together in Geneva, possibly next month.

While Syria has said that it will "in principle" attend the conference, the fractured political opposition has not yet announced whether it will attend or not, despite more than a week of meetings in Turkey to devise a strategy for Geneva talks.

Leading opposition members have said they would only attend the conference if Assad's departure from power tops the agenda, a demand on which sponsors Russia and the U.S. appear to disagree.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/05/30/syria-missiles-russia-israel.html



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WORLD_ US demands Hezbollah withdraw from Syria

US demands Hezbollah withdraw from Syria

AAP
May 30, 2013 5:33AM


THE United States has demanded the immediate withdrawal of Lebanese Hezbollah fighters from Syria, saying their active role in combat there is an "extremely dangerous escalation." "This is an unacceptable and extremely dangerous escalation.


We demand that Hezbollah withdraw its fighters from Syria immediately," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah confirmed last week that the Lebanese Shi'ite movement was actively fighting on the side of its close ally, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, in the Syrian town of Qusayr near the border.

Psaki also condemned the "outrageous attack" on a Lebanese army checkpoint near the border on Tuesday that killed three soldiers.

It was not immediately clear who was behind the attack, which was condemned by the Lebanese government and Hezbollah.

"These and other incidents are stark reminders that the conflict in Syria poses an incredibly dangerous threat to Lebanon's stability, the people of Lebanon and security," she said.

"We call on all parties to do their part to act with restraint and respect Lebanon's stability and security."

Hezbollah, which battled Israeli forces for nearly two decades before their 2000 withdrawal from Lebanon, had long insisted its arsenal of rockets and other weapons would only be used to defend Lebanon from its southern neighbour Israel.

But Nasrallah has said the group must now defend Assad's regime against an uprising increasingly dominated by hardline Sunni Islamists who view Shi'ites and Assad's offshoot Alawite sect as apostates.

Hezbollah's involvement in Syria has raised fears the conflict could spill over into Lebanon, where deadly clashes between supporters and opponents of the Syrian regime have periodically erupted in the northern city of Tripoli.

Syria has long been a crucial conduit for arms supplied to Hezbollah by its chief patron Iran. Iran, Syria, Hezbollah and some Palestinian groups view themselves as an axis of "resistance" against Israel and the West.

Hezbollah is believed to have sent at least 1700 fighters to Qusayr more than a week ago to support the regime's assault on the rebel stronghold. France estimates that 3000 to 4000 Hezbollah fighters are operating in Syria.

Hundreds of civilians have reportedly been killed in Qusayr and thousands could be trapped. The United Nations estimates that more than 70,000 people have been killed since the initially peaceful uprising in Syria began in March 2011.

AFP

Read more: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/world/us-demands-hezbollah-withdraw-from-syria/story-e6frfkui-1226653396553#ixzz2UiT3FiRe


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WORLD_ Syria: Russia calls anti-Hizbollah resolution 'odious'

Syria: Russia calls anti-Hizbollah resolution 'odious'

Russia stepped up its opposition to America's involvement in the Middle East, describing as "odious" a US-backed resolution condemning Hizbollah support for the Assad regime in Syria.




Heavy fighting resumed on the outskirts of Qusayr Photo: AFP

By Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent
7:19PM BST 29 May 2013


The resolution, which condemned the regime for human rights abuses as well as its use of fighters from Lebanon, was passed by the United Nations human rights council. The US State Department subsequently called on Hizbollah to withdraw all its fighters from Syria immediately.

The resolution was described by Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, as "unilateral and odious". He said it was undermining American and Russian plans for a peace conference next month.

"The US delegation is very actively promoting this extremely unwholesome initiative," he said.

Syria is becoming a new testing ground for Russia's resurgent opposition to American world leadership. It has been unequivocal in its determination to support President Bashar al-Assad from attempts by rebels supported by western powers to unseat him.


Related Articles
 _ Syria: Russia to send anti-aircraft missiles to stop Western 'hotheads' - 28 May 2013
 _ Syria arms embargo Q&A - 28 May 2013
 _ Arming the Syrian rebels won’t end the bloodshed - 28 May 2013
 _ Fears grow of Syrian arms race as EU and Russia move on weapons - 28 May 2013
 _ Street fighting in Syria as EU arms embargo ends - 28 May 2013
 _ Hague: No arms to Syrian rebels 'at the moment' - 28 May 2013



On Tuesday, it responded to the lifting of the European Union arms embargo on the rebels by announcing it would go ahead with supply of an advanced missile defence system to prevent "western intervention".

The new resolution, promoted by America's Middle East allies Turkey and Qatar, drew attention to the current battle in Qusayr, near the Lebanese border, which is pitting rebels against not only the Syrian regime but fighters from Hizbollah.

Heavy fighting resumed on the outskirts of the town yesterday, with the regime claiming to have retaken Dabaa military airport from the rebels. An air strike also killed eight rebels.

The White House, which is trying not to become more closely involved in the conflict, is hoping that the conference will find a peaceful settlement leading to the eventual removal of Mr Assad without the need to supply heavy arms, which might fall into the hands of jihadist rebel elements, or military action.

Spokesmen played down reports that the Pentagon was examining prospects for a no-fly zone, saying no new planning work was under way. "Every option available to the president remains on the table when it comes to our policy towards Syria," a spokesman said. "That of course includes the possibility of a no-fly zone."

The rebel opposition holds out little hope for the conference's success and is preparing for a long war of attrition.

The Syrian National Coalition issued a statement saying it would only attend if it was promised a "deadline" for a settlement which included the "necessary guarantees" – a reference to its demand that Mr Assad be forced to leave office.

However, its own disunity came under fire from activists on the ground, who issued their own statement threatening to withdraw their support from the body, regarded by the West as the only political representatives of the opposition.


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WORLD_ US calls Russian arms sales to Syrian government a 'mistake'

US calls Russian arms sales to Syrian government a 'mistake'


• Obama asks Pentagon to draw up plan for Syria no-fly zone
• Russia to send anti-aircraft missiles to deter 'hotheads'
• London and Paris force EU to let arms embargo lapse
• US policy unrelated to EU decision, state department says
• Investigation finds chemical weapons exposure


Paul Owen and Tom McCarthy
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 29 May 2013 07.33 AEST
Jump to comments (1247)




William Hague, the British foreign secretary, at the meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels that agreed to drop the arms embargo against Syrian rebels. Photograph: Francois Lenoir/Reuters

8.38am BST
Summary


Good morning and welcome to the Middle East live blog. We'll have live coverage of developments from the region throughout the day.


Syria • The EU arms embargo on Syria will not be renewed, meaning Britain and France can supply arms to the Syrian opposition from 1 August. London and Paris were the only capitals of 27 EU countries that backed letting the embargo lapse this Friday, UK foreign secretary William Hague arguing that the mere threat of arms would force Bashar al-Assad to the negotiations. But the other EU countries – despite worries the arms would fall into the hands of Islamist rebels such as Jabhat al-Nusra – assented, to preserve a semblance of unified policy, since the refusal of Britain and France to go along with the arms embargo could have caused the collapse of all EU sanctions against Syria. The August start date was decided upon to give the EU time to gauge what might happen at the peace talks in Geneva mooted for next month, although there is no certainty they will take place or who will attend. All the other parts of the Syrian embargo were retained apart from the arms embargo on the rebels.


• Austria was a strong opponent of letting the embargo lapse, and foreign minister Michael Spindelegger said that Vienna would now have to reconsider its deployment on a long-running UN peacekeeping mission in the Golan Heights between Syria and Israel. Vienna has said in the past it might have to pull its 380 soldiers out if the arms embargo was eased.


• Medics working in six rebel-held districts near Damascus have treated several hundred fighters for symptoms of chemical exposure since March, a detailed investigation has found, adding fresh impetus to claims the Syrian regime has resorted to the banned weapons. France is testing samples of suspected chemical weapon elements used against Syrian rebel fighters and smuggled out by reporters from Le Monde and will divulge the results in the next few days, a senior French official said.


• The battle for Qusair near the border with Lebanon continued to rage on Monday, with Hezbollah forces advancing slowly from the south, but continuing to take heavy casualties. Officials close to the Islamic Dawa party in Lebanon suggested to Lebanese media that between 79-110 Hezbollah militants had been killed in Qusair in the past eight days.


• Some 96 people were killed across Syria yesterday, according to the Syrian Network for Human Rights, an activist monitoring group. The group said 30 of those were killed in Homs, and 28 in Damascus and its surrounding areas. The Local Co-ordination Committees, another activist group, said 89 people had been killed, including 27 in Damascus and 27 in Homs. These accounts cannot be verified because media access to Syria is limited.


• A British doctor who left his home, family and job in the UK to help civilians wounded by the conflict in Syria has died after the makeshift hospital he was working in was shelled. Dr Isa Abdur Rahman, 26, was working as a volunteer in the north-western city of Idlib with the British charity Hand in Hand for Syria (HIHS) when the facility was attacked.


• Hawkish US senator John McCain met rebel leaders inside Syria to discuss their calls for heavy weapons and a no-fly zone to help them topple Assad and bring the bitter civil war to a conclusion. The Arizona senator has been leading efforts in Congress in recent weeks to force Barack Obama to intervene in Syria following reports of alleged chemical weapons use by forces loyal to Assad.


Lebanon • Gunmen opened fire on a military checkpoint in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley this morning, killing three soldiers before fleeing to the nearby Syrian border, a Lebanese military source told Reuters. The source said two of the soldiers died in the attack, near the town of Arsal, and a third died later in hospital. The border areas around Arsal are used by Syrian rebels to smuggle weapons and fighters from Lebanon across into Syria, and the region has seen previous clashes between the Lebanese military and gunmen. The news comes two days after a rocket attack hit Beirut's southern suburbs near the heartland of Hezbollah, raising fears Lebanon could be drawn more deeply into the Syrian conflict next door.


Iraq


• A wave of bombs exploded in markets in mainly Shia neighbourhoods across Baghdad on Monday, killing at least 66 people and injuring nearly 200, increasing fears that Iraq risks sliding back into broad sectarian conflict.


Israel and the Palestinian territories


• European football's governing body, Uefa, has been accused of showing "total insensitivity" to the "blatant and entrenched discrimination" of Israel against Palestinian sportspeople.

Updated at 10.02am BST

*** 1247 Comments

Read the full article at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/middle-east-live/2013/may/28/eu-lifts-arms-embargo-on-syrian-rebels-live-updates#ixzz2Ufu9JYz6


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WORLD_ Israel warns Russia against giving Syria missiles

Israel warns Russia against giving Syria missiles

Associated Press By JOSEF FEDERMAN | Associated Press – 5 hrs ago




Associated Press/Ariel Schalit - An Israeli soldier acting as if he is wounded waits for Israeli soldiers of the Home Front Command rescue unit during a drill in Azur, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 28, 2013. Israel has launched a national civil defense drill, which the army said this year will focus on the threat of unconventional weapons at a time of growing regional tensions. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)


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Israeli soldiers of the Home Front Command rescue unit wear protective gear during a drill in Azur, near Tel Aviv, Israel, Tuesday, May 28, 2013. Israel has launched a national civil defense drill, which the army said this year will focus on the threat of unconventional weapons at a time of growing regional tensions. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)


JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel's defense chief said Tuesday a Russian plan to supply sophisticated anti-aircraft missiles to Syria was a "threat" and signaled that Israel is prepared to use force to stop the delivery.

The warning by Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon ratcheted up tensions with Moscow over the planned sale of S-300 air-defense missiles to Syria. Earlier in the day, a top Russian official said his government remained committed to the deal.

Israel has been lobbying Moscow to halt the sale, fearing the missiles would upset the balance of power in the region and could slip into the hands of hostile groups, including the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, a close ally of the Syrian regime.

Israel has carried out several airstrikes in Syria in recent months that are believed to have destroyed weapons shipments bound for Hezbollah. Israel has not confirmed carrying out the attacks.

The delivery of the Russian missiles to Syria could limit the Israeli air force's ability to act. It is not clear whether Israeli warplanes entered Syrian airspace in these attacks.

Earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Russia to discuss the Syrian situation with President Vladimir Putin. The sides have said little about the talks, but the S-300s were believed to have been on the agenda.

"Clearly this move is a threat to us," Yaalon told reporters Tuesday when asked about the planned Russian sale.

"At this stage I can't say there is an escalation. The shipments have not been sent on their way yet. And I hope that they will not be sent," he said. But "if God forbid they do reach Syria, we will know what to do."

Since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011, Israel repeatedly has voiced concerns that Syria's sophisticated arsenal, including chemical weapons, could either be transferred to Hezbollah, a bitter enemy of Israel, or fall into the hands of rebels battling Syrian President Bashar Assad. The rebels include al-Qaida-affiliated groups that Israel believes could turn their attention toward Israel if they topple Assad.

Syria already possesses Russian-made air defenses, and Israel is believed to have used long-distance bombs fired from Israeli or Lebanese airspace. The S-300s would expand Syria's capabilities, allowing it to counter airstrikes launched from foreign airspace as well.

In Moscow, Russia's deputy foreign minister, Sergei Ryabkov, wouldn't say whether Russia has shipped any of the S-300s, which have a range of up to 200 kilometers (125 miles) and the capability to track and strike multiple targets simultaneously. But he insisted that Moscow isn't going to abandon the deal despite strong Western and Israeli criticism.

"We understand the concerns and signals sent to us from different capitals. We realize that many of our partners are concerned about the issue," Ryabkov said. "We have no reason to revise our stance."

He said the missiles could be a deterrent against foreign intervention in Syria and would not be used against Syrian rebels, who do not have an air force.

"We believe that such steps to a large extent help restrain some 'hotheads' considering a scenario to give an international dimension to this conflict," he said.

Russia has been the key ally of the Syrian regime, protecting it from United Nations sanctions and providing it with weapons despite the civil war there that has claimed over 70,000 lives.

In any case, an open confrontation between Israel and Russia would seem to be months away. Russian military analysts say it would take at least one year for Syrian crews to learn how to operate the S-300s, and the training will involve a live drill with real ammunition at a Russian shooting range. There has been no evidence that any such training has begun.

If Russia were to deliver the missiles to Syria, Israeli and Western intelligence would likely detect the shipment, and Israel would have ample time to strike before the system is deployed.

Ryabkov's statement came a day after European Union's decision to lift an arms embargo against Syrian rebels. He criticized the EU decision, saying it would help fuel the conflict.

Israel's defense chief spoke at an annual civil defense drill to prepare for missile attacks on Israel. This year's exercise comes at a time of heightened concerns that Israel could be dragged into the Syrian civil war.

A number of mortar shells from the fighting in Syria have landed in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. While Israel believes most of the fire has been errant, it has accused Syria of firing intentionally at Israeli targets on several occasions, and last week the sides briefly exchanged fire.

Israel's civil defense chief, Home Front Minister Gilad Erdan, said this week's drill was not specifically connected to the tensions with Syria.

"But of course we must take into consideration that something like that might happen in the near future because of what we see in Syria, and because we know that chemical weapons exist in Syria and might fall to the hands of radical Muslim terror groups," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow contributed to this report.



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WORLD_ EU ends arms embargo on Syria rebels

28 May 2013 Last updated at 09:38 GMT
BBC

EU ends arms embargo on Syria rebels
Comments (454)




Foreign secretary William Hague: "This is the outcome that the United Kingdom wanted"


European Union foreign ministers have said they will not renew an arms embargo on the Syrian opposition, due to expire on Saturday.


But there was no immediate decision to send arms to Syrian rebels and all other sanctions remained in force.

Even so, Russia said it would "directly harm" the prospects of an international peace conference on Syria.

Meanwhile, the BBC has heard evidence that 200 people were killed in a massacre in western Syria this month.

Opposition activists said they had documented the civilian deaths in al-Bayda and Baniyas after government troops and militias entered the towns.

The government described the operation as a strike against "terrorists".

'Clear signal'

The EU declaration on Syria came after 12 hours of talks in Brussels. Foreign ministers were unable to reach the unanimous decision required to extend the current arms embargo, and so agreed to renew the other sanctions - including an assets freeze on President Assad and his aides, and restrictions on trade in oil and financial transactions - without it.

The BBC's Jim Muir, in Beirut, says it is clear that the EU decision will not make much difference on the ground in the immediate future.

Member states can now decide their own policy on sending arms to Syria, but agreed not to "proceed at this stage with the delivery" of equipment.

The EU's Foreign Affairs Council is to review this position before 1 August, in light of fresh developments to end the conflict including the ongoing US-Russia peace initiative.

Britain and France had been pressing for the ability to send weapons to what they call moderate opponents of President Assad, saying it would push Damascus towards a political solution to the two-year conflict.

There has been increasing pressure on the international community to act since allegations emerged of chemical weapons being used in the conflict. Syria has denied using chemical weapons.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague welcomed the outcome of the Brussels talks, saying it was "important for Europe to send a clear signal to the Assad regime that it has to negotiate seriously, and that all options remain on the table if it refuses to do so".

But other countries had opposed opening the way for weapons to be sent, saying it would only worsen the violence that has already cost at least 80,000 lives.

Austria had been a key opponent of arms being sent.

"The EU should hold the line. We are a peace movement and not a war movement," Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger said.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov called the EU move "a manifestation of double standards". Russia and the US are leading efforts to organise a peace conference on Syria next month.

'Too little'

The Syrian opposition has not said whether to attend the conference, and was locked in talks in Istanbul, Turkey, as an unofficial deadline to decide on its attendance passed.

A spokesman for the opposition Syrian National Coalition, Louay Safi, was quoted by news agency AFP as saying that the EU move was "a positive step", but that the coalition was "afraid it could be too little, too late".

George Jabboure Netto, a spokesman for the Syrian National Council, another opposition group, said the dropping of the arms embargo was a "step in the right direction".

He told the BBC that the SNC was willing to negotiate an end to the conflict, but only on the condition that there was no place for President Assad in the new Syria.

"We think coupling the arming of [the] Free Syrian Army with diplomatic efforts is a must for any hopes for the diplomatic efforts to succeed."

The EU embargo, first imposed in May 2011, applies to the rebels as much as the Syrian government.

But in February this year, foreign ministers agreed to enable any EU member state to provide non-lethal military equipment "for the protection of civilians" or for the opposition forces, "which the Union accepts as legitimate representatives of the Syrian people".

UK aid agency Oxfam has warned of "devastating consequences" if the embargo ends and more arms are sent into Syria.

In other developments:

_ French officials are testing samples brought back from Syria by two journalists for Le Monde newspaper, who say they witnessed a chemical weapons attack by government forces against the rebels on the outskirts of Damascus last month

 _ US Secretary of State John Kerry met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Paris, with Mr Kerry saying they were both "deeply committed" to a transitional government in Syria chosen by mutual consent

 _ One of the strongest advocates of US military aid for the Syrian opposition, Senator John McCain, has made a surprise visit to Syria for discussions with rebel leaders

 _ Fighting in Syria continues around the strategic town of Qusair, a few miles from the Lebanese border, with a prominent Syrian female TV journalist, Yara Abbas, killed just outside the town

 _ Three Lebanese have been killed near the north-eastern town of Arsal by gunmen who then fled across the border into Syria, officials said.

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Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22684948


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WORLD_ McCain slips into Syria to meet with rebel leaders

McCain slips into Syria to meet with rebel leaders




McCain's office via Reuters
U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) is pictured with U.S. troops at a Patriot missile site in southern Turkey on May 27, 2013 in this picture released via McCain's Twitter account. McCain, a former Republican presidential candidate and one of the loudest voices calling for military aid to the Syrian opposition, met with some of the rebels during a surprise visit to the war-torn country on Monday, his spokesman said.


By Andrew Rafferty and Kasie Hunt, NBC News
3 hours ago

Sen. John McCain, one of Congress' strongest advocates for increasing America's role in Syria, on Monday became the highest ranking U.S. official to visit the country since a bloody civil war broke out there more than two years ago, NBC News has confirmed.

The Arizona Republican crossed the Turkey-Syria border with Gen. Salem Idris, the leader of the Supreme Military Council of the Free Syrian Army, The Daily Beast first reported.

McCain stayed in the country for several hours during the unannounced trip and met with rebel leaders, who called on the United States to increase its support of the Syrian opposition by providing weapons, a no-fly zone and air strikes on forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

“The visit of Sen. McCain to Syria is very important and very useful especially at this time,” Idris told The Daily Beast. “We need American help to have change on the ground; we are now in a very critical situation.”

McCain has been one of the most vocal critics of how President Obama's administration has handled the civil war that has claimed more than 70,000 lives, according to U.N. estimates. McCain has shied from calling for U.S. boots on the ground there, but has advocated for the U.S. to enforce a no-fly zone and further arm the rebel groups.

Earlier this month, McCain authored an op/ed for Time Magazine in which he wrote that inaction in Syria will further destabilize the Middle East and threaten American interests abroad.

New reports of chemical weapons attacks by Assad's forces have surfaced in recent days as fighting has increased. Obama has called the confirmed use of such weapons a "red line" warranting further involvement -- but it is unclear what that involvement may be.

The rebels told McCain on Monday that chemical weapons have been used against them on multiple occasions, according to The Daily Beast.

Further complicating the conflict is Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah's support of Assad, which was formally announced on Saturday. The news only stoked the fears of those already worried that the Syrian crisis could spill into Lebanon.

Leaders of the Free Syrian Army told McCain they are running out of ammunition and need more advanced weapons to counter Assad, according to the report. They also said there is a growing number of Russian military advisers, as well as increased amounts of Iranian and Iraqi troops on the ground in Syria.

News of McCain's trip soon was followed by an announcement that European Union governments had failed to reach an agreement on easing an arms embargo to help the rebels.

EU foreign ministers met in Brussels on Monday to bridge their differences over the issue, with Britain and France pushing to allow European governments to deliver arms. Austria and several other EU capitals oppose such moves.

"I regret that after long talks it was not possible to find a compromise with the UK and France,'' Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger told reporters.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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WORLD_ Austria minister: EU fails to reach deal on Syria

Austria minister: EU fails to reach deal on Syria

Associated Press
By RAF CASERT and JAMEY KEATEN | Associated Press – 59 mins ago





Associated Press/SANA - In this photo released on Sunday, May 26, 2013, by the Syrian official news agency SANA, Syrian forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad take their position during a clashes against Syrian rebels, in Aleppo, Syria. Syria's Information Ministry says rebels have killed a TV correspondent who was covering clashes near the border with Lebanon. (AP Photo/SANA)


BRUSSELS (AP) — Austria's foreign minister said Monday that the European Union's top diplomats have failed to agree about how to deal with Syria's civil war, and EU sanctions against Bashar Assad's regime are likely to expire on June 1.

However, three other European diplomats insisted the 27-member bloc still had a chance to come to an agreement. One said Monday's talks in Brussels were "far from over." The three spoke on condition of anonymity as the proceedings continued.

During a break from critical EU talks aimed to work out a common position on Syria, Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger told reporters he was concerned about what he called a failure to reach a common position and said that after the EU sanctions collapse "everybody is entitled to deliver weapons to the Assad regime or to the opposition."

But he said he also was holding out hope for a last-minute reversal that could salvage an accord in the talks set to continue deep into the evening.

Speaking at an impromptu news conference, Spindelegger said that during the talks France and Britain had agreed not to deliver any weapons until Aug. 1. Those two countries — the EU's biggest military powers — have been pushing the bloc to lift its embargo on delivery of weapons into Syria to help the embattled opposition.

British and French diplomats did not immediately return calls seeking comment after Spindelegger's remarks.

British Foreign Minister William Hague left the EU offices for the dinnertime break, saying only that he would return later.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius left the talks earlier Monday to return to Paris to meet with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov over the issue.

The talks had been billed as a pivotal opportunity for the bloc to overcome differences about whether to ease sanctions against Syria to allow arms shipments to the rebels. Earlier, France added urgency to the debate, with Fabius pointing to increasing signs that chemical weapons were being used in the conflict.

Austria has been among the most outspoken opponents of such deliveries, arguing that pouring more weapons into the war zone will only increase the deaths in Syria and tarnish the EU's reputation as a peace broker.

The EU nations have been steadfast opponents of Assad in the war and have steadily increased restrictive measures against his regime, including visa restrictions and economic sanctions. In February, the 27-nation bloc also amended the arms embargo to allow for non-lethal equipment and medicine to protect Syrian civilians. If not renewed, all those measures expire at the end of May.

Meanwhile, Assad's government has agreed in principle to participate in peace talks in Geneva next month. The United States and Russia hope to bring together the Syrian government and opposition for direct talks, but the exact date, agenda and participants still remains unclear.

Washington has also been reluctant to provide rebels with more sophisticated weapons for fear they might end up in the hands of the radical Islamic factions, including the al-Qaida-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra, a group that has been the most effective fighting force on the opposition side.

Several EU ministers said arming the opposition would create a more-level playing field that could force Assad into a negotiated settlement.



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WORLD_ Hong Kong Activists Call for Reappraisal of Tiananmen Crackdown

Hong Kong Activists Call for Reappraisal of Tiananmen Crackdown

RFA
2013-05-27




Demonstrators calling for democracy and a reappraisal of the 1989 Tiananmen crackdown march in Hong Kong on May 26, 2013.


Activists in Hong Kong have vowed to keep up pressure on the Chinese government for an official reappraisal of the 1989 military crackdown on unarmed pro-democracy protesters in Beijing's Tiananmen Square, amid tight security in mainland China ahead of the sensitive June 4 anniversary.

"It is patriotic to call for a reappraisal of June 4, and an end to one-party dictatorship," Hong Kong legislator and trade unionist Lee Cheuk-yan, who heads the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements in China, said in an interview on Monday.

"Patriotism isn't the same thing as loving the Party," said Lee, whose Alliance commemorated the Tiananmen Square crackdown on Sunday with a demonstration of more than 1,000 people.

"We need a new definition of patriotism, so that's where we came up with our slogan for this year," Lee told RFA's Mandarin Service ahead of the 24th anniversary of the bloodshed.

The protesters marched from Victoria Park through downtown Hong Kong on Sunday, carrying banners and chanting "The Hong Kong spirit is patriotic!" and "Reappraise June 4, we will never give up!"

While Beijing's censors typically muzzle any online or media discussion of the topic, Hong Kong has become one of the few Chinese cities in which large crowds are able to turn out to remember those who died in the student-led pro-democracy movement of 1989.

Mainland activists targeted

Across the internal border in mainland China, annual security measures and surveillance targeted political activists and the families of victims.

In the southern city of Guangzhou, a short boat ride up the Pearl River from Hong Kong, police handed down administrative jail sentences to two activists who called online for gathering on the city's streets on June 4, to "look for their cell phones," a lawyer said on Monday.

"When [Qiu Hua] called me this afternoon ... the officer in charge of his case had already told him he [and Yang Tingjian] would be detained for 15 days each," lawyer Wu Kuiming told RFA's Cantonese Service on Monday.

"Later, he sent me a text to say he was planning to go on hunger strike in protest at his illegal detention," Wu said.

Also in Guangzhou, the lawyer Tang Jingling said he and his wife had both been taken away by seven or eight state security police for questioning in the early hours of Monday morning.

"It's probably because of June 4," Tang said. "The authorities have really started cracking down hard around June lately, and they have been detaining people and putting them under surveillance all over the place."

"People like us aren't being allowed to meet for meals together, or to leave our homes, or not very often," he said.

"We're also not allowed to organize any events related to June 4, or to post anything online about it."

'Upholding democracy' for Hong Kong

Back in Hong Kong, writer and Independent Chinese PEN member Wu Yisan told the crowd: "We in Hong Kong have continued to take part in memorial events for the past 24 years, which is truly amazing."

"We have continued to stand for a Chinese worldview, as well as to uphold justice, and never to forget the suffering under the one-party dictatorship," Wu told rallying demonstrators.

He hit out at critics of the marches, often with strong links to Beijing, who have said Hong Kong citizens should mind their own business.

"For as long as there is no democracy in China, Hong Kong can never be an island to itself," Wu said. "It is impossible to draw a line between Hong Kong and mainland China ... and we must continue to speak out about the crackdown, if we are to uphold freedom, justice, and democracy for Hong Kong."

Annual demonstrations

Last year, tens of thousands of people converged on Hong Kong's Victoria Park to mark the 23rd anniversary, in what has become something of a political tradition in the territory.

Under the terms of its 1997 handover from British rule, Hong Kong has been promised the continuation of existing freedoms of expression and association for 50 years, although the territory has blocked former Tiananmen student leaders from entering the city to attend previous anniversary events.

Retired university professor Ding Zilin, who founded the pressure group Tiananmen Mothers after her 17-year-old son died in the bloodshed, said the annual Hong Kong demonstrations were a source of great comfort to her.

"Every year, at this time of year, I want to thank our compatriots in Hong Kong," Ding said. "They are doing on behalf of the victims' relatives that which we cannot do for ourselves."

"They are holding high the banner of universal values for humanity," she said.

The number of people killed when People's Liberation Army (PLA) tanks and troops entered Beijing on the night of June 3-4, 1989 remains a mystery.

Beijing authorities once put the death toll at "nearly 300," but the central government, which labelled the six weeks of unarmed pro-democracy protests and hunger strikes a “counterrevolutionary uprising,” has not issued an official toll or name list.

The crackdown, which officials styled in a news conference at the time as a necessary way to suppress a counterrevolutionary rebellion, sparked a wave of international condemnation, and for several years China was treated as a near-pariah, as Western governments offered asylum to student leaders fleeing into exile.

Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service and by Hai Nan for the Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie.

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WORLD_ Hezbollah's Beirut heartland hit as Syria war rages on

Hezbollah's Beirut heartland hit as Syria war rages on ABC NEWS
Updated 1 hour 12 minutes ago





Policeman surveys damage from rocket attack Photo: A policeman inspects damaged cars after one of the rockets hit a dealership in Beirut. (Reuters: Mohammed Azakir)


Two rockets hit Hezbollah's heartland in Beirut as the Lebanese Shiite group battled alongside Syrian regime forces and Damascus said it agreed "in principle" to attend a Geneva peace conference.


The early morning attack came as Syria's fractured opposition held an unscheduled fourth day of meetings on the peace conference proposal and after Hezbollah pledged to fight for "victory" in Syria over the rebels.

Its chief Hassan Nasrallah said it was in the militant anti-Israeli group's own interest to defend president Bashar al-Assad's regime.

"I have always promised you a victory and now I pledge to you a new one" in Syria, he said. Hours later, two Grad rockets slammed into Al-Shayyah area of southern Beirut, a security source said, wounding four Syrian workers at a car dealership.

It was the first time the Lebanese capital's mainly Shiite southern suburbs have been targeted during the more than two-year-old conflict in Syria.

An AFP photographer said the second rocket damaged an apartment block.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which interior minister Marwan Charbel denounced as "sabotage".

"We hope that what is happening in Syria will not spill over into Lebanon," he said.

During the past week, 31 people have been killed in clashes in Lebanon's northern port of Tripoli between supporters and opponents of Syria's regime.

The army found two abandoned rocket launchers in Aitat, south-east of Beirut's southern suburbs, the security source said.

"The people will not be intimidated by such acts and are determined to defend the resistance (Hezbollah)... we will prevent all sectarian dissent," Hezbollah MP Ali Ammar said. With the violence in Syria raging and spreading, Syrian foreign minister Walid Muallem said his government would attend "in principle" the Geneva peace conference Washington and Moscow are hoping to hold next month.

"We think... that the international conference represents a good opportunity for a political solution to the crisis in Syria," Mr Muallem said.

French foreign minister Laurent Fabius, meanwhile, said Paris would host on Monday a meeting with Russia and the United States to prepare for the conference.

Also on Monday, EU foreign ministers were to meet in Brussels with the bloc deeply divided over whether to arm rebels in Syria, ahead of the expiry at midnight Friday of sanctions against the country, including an arms embargo.

Mr Fabius condemned the Beirut rocket attacks, saying it was crucial to "avoid the war in Syria becoming a war in Lebanon".

The foreign minister of Bahrain, which has been battling Shiite-led protests, branded Mr Nasrallah a "terrorist" who must be stopped.

"Stopping him and rescuing Lebanon from his grip is a national and religious duty for all of us," Sheikh Khaled Al-Khalifa said.

Jordan, which shares borders with Syria and hosts more than 500,000 Syrian refugees, said it is in talks "with friendly countries" to deploy Patriot missiles on its territory after a similar move by Turkey.

Syrian National Coalition meets for fourth day

In Istanbul, the opposition Syrian National Coalition met for a fourth day to try to overcome deep divisions over the peace conference.

The opposition's long-standing position is that, after more than two years of devastating conflict which has killed more than 94,000 people, it will not negotiate until Mr Assad agrees to leave.

Delegates said efforts to reach an agreed position on the conference were being delayed by pressure from some of the opposition's Gulf Arab backers for an overhaul of its membership.

"You have Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates pushing to include up to 30 new members in the National Coalition," a Coalition member said on condition of anonymity.

"Their goal is to downsize the Muslim Brotherhood's influence over the group."

Syrian Kurds opposed to the regime also want to participate in the so-called Geneva 2 conference, either as National Coalition members or not, key Kurdish representatives in Istanbul said.

The Coalition, meanwhile, urged hundreds of Hezbollah fighters in Syria to defect.

Hezbollah's intervention has given Mr Assad the upper hand in al-Qusayr, a strategic central town in Syria, which provides an important rebel supply line from Lebanon and serves as a link to Mr Assad's Alawite heartland on the Mediterranean.

Syrian forces launched an assault on al-Qusayr a week ago but are still being fiercely resisted.

Even as Nasrallah vowed victory in Syria, 22 Hezbollah fighters were killed in the al-Qusayr battle on Saturday, a source close to the movement said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Hezbollah lost 10 fighters in al-Qusayr, out of a total of 147 people killed in violence across the country on Saturday, including 79 rebels.

AFP

Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, lebanon, syrian-arab-republic

First posted 3 hours 1 minute ago


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WORLD_ Syria: Britain in last ditch bid to persuade EU to relax arms embargo to rebels

Syria: Britain in last ditch bid to persuade EU to relax arms embargo to rebels

Britain will on Sunday make a fresh attempt to persuade the European Union to relax its arms embargo on Syrian rebels, after President Bashar al-Assad's forces looked set for a key battlefield victory that could turn the war in their favour.

By Phoebe Greenwood, Jerusalem
5:22PM BST 25 May 2013


William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, will meet with European ministers in a bid to resolve a long-running dispute over whether arming anti-Assad forces would hasten the war's end or simply prolong it.

The meeting in Brussels comes amid growing signs that President Assad is now regaining the upper hand in the two-year-long civil war. On Saturday, his troops were engaged in a fierce battle for the strategic port town of Qusair, which sits on a critical supply route for rebel fighters to the Lebanese border just six miles away.

Mr Hague, who fears that the EU's reluctance to arm the rebels has handed the initiative to their Islamist allies, has already warned that Britain will use its power of veto to block the renewal of the embargo this week if needs be. Less hawkish European nations, such as Austria, say that could wreck any chances of a peace deal.

"We want to see the amending of the arms embargo in a way that opens up the possibility of a wider range of supplies, including lethal supplies, to the [Syrian] national coalition," Mr Hague said. He added: "Ultimately if we cannot agree on EU policy, there will be no EU policy."

In Qusair, residents reported that government troops, backed by Hizbollah fighters, had launched a fierce barrage of artillery, rockets and tank shells on the city from three positions. One witness said he had never seen an assault like it – "It's like they're trying to destroy the city house by house."


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Rebels, however, were putting up stiff resistance, according to a Hizbollah fighter, who described it was a "slow and difficult" job to retake the city. "The rebels have mined everything, the streets, the houses," he said. "Even the refrigerators are mined."

Western diplomats say the fighting in Qusair has underlined the need for a solution to conflict, which is now estimated to have cost some 80,000 lives. They are particularly alarmed at the lead that Lebanese Hizbollah fighters are now playing in supporting Mr Assad's troops, which they say increases the chances of the war spilling over into Lebanon itself.

European ministers have until the end of this month to decide whether they will renew their arms embargo on Syria, which blocks the transfer of weapons to both regime and rebel forces. The UK and France are at loggerheads with EU states led by Austria and the Scandinavian nations, who refuse to allow the arming of Syrian National Coalition fighters.

Michael Spindelegger, Austria's foreign minister, reiterated his position on Friday that the arming of rebels would endanger Austrian peace-keeping forces in the Golan Heights area between Syria and Israel. "We believe there are enough weapons in Syria," he said. "We support a cease-fire, not weapons deliveries".

The EU's diplomatic service, headed by Baroness Ashton, is also cautioning against "any counter-productive move" that could hamper current Russia-US efforts to relaunch peace talks in Geneva, expected to take place next month.

In a note to her office weeks ago, London and Paris argued that lifting the arms embargo against the opposition would put pressure on Mr Assad to find a political settlement, rather than aggravate the conflict.

But EU officials close to the debate insisted that that approach was "simply naive". "The only threat capable of scaring Assad would be for Moscow or Tehran to threaten to cut off assistance," one official said.

Meanwhile, the opposition movement also looks to be crumbling politically. Internal friction between the assorted rebel groups, including jihadist elements and the Al Qaeda-allied al-Nusra Front, coupled with allegations of widespread atrocities, have undermined international support.

Russia announced on Friday that the Assad regime had in principle agreed attend the Geneva conference to find a diplomatic solution to the bloody conflict.

But much to the frustration of London and Washington, three days of negotiations in Istanbul last week failed to produce a non-Islamist leadership to represent the Syrian National Coalition in Geneva. As such, the rebels' Western supporters have been left without a legitimate opposition figure to rally behind.

"The coalition risks undermining itself to the point that its backers may have to look quickly for an alternative with enough credibility on the ground to go to Geneva," a senior figure within the Syrian opposition said.

Doubts also persist about whether the Geneva conference will achieve anything. The Syrian opposition is deeply suspicious about Mr Assad's intention to hold serious peace talks, and senior opposition figures have ruled out attendance unless the Syrian president's departure tops the talks' agenda.




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