Opposition rejects Russian talks offer

President Bashar al-Assad’s regime is intensifying its assault aimed at crushing army defectors and protesters, even as the West tries to win a new UN resolution demanding a halt to Syria’s crackdown on the uprising.

With talks on the resolution due to begin today, a French UN official said at least ten members of the Security Council backed the measure, including a demand that Mr Assad carry out an Arab League peace plan.

The plan requires Mr Assad to hand his powers to his vice-president and allow the creation of a unity government. Damascus has rejected the proposal.

A text needs support from nine nations on the 15-member UN Security Council to go to a vote, but would still be subject to a veto from a permanent members – Russia has said it will use its veto.

Moscow yesterday said Mr Assad’s government had agreed to talks in Russia to end the crisis, however a major Syrian opposition body rejected any dialogue, demanding he step down.

Walid al-Bunni, foreign affairs chief for the Syrian National Council, said: “We rejected the Russian proposal because they wanted us to talk with the regime while it continues the killings, the torture, the imprisonment.”