Take our advice, Russia warns Syrian factions, or conflict will drag on

RUSSIA yesterday said all parties to the Syria conflict should “heed its advice”, including President Bashar al-Assad, who was warned against trying to reconquer the whole of his divided country.

Moscow’s warning was a clear at- tempt to take leadership in the United Nations of the “Syria file”, as the Western-backed opposition buckles under the weight of Russian air strikes.

The Russian deputy foreign minister, Mikhail Bogdanov, said: “There are many questions that need to be analysed and steps that must be taken to find a solution that fits all Syrians in or- der to preserve the country’s unity. Therefore, not only President Assad, but other sides to the conflict as well should follow the advice that is being given.”

Last night Russia called for an emergency meeting of the UN security council to discuss what it claimed were Turkish plans to send troops into Syria to support the rebels. It also said it was still hopeful it could organise a “cessation of hostilities”.

A ceasefire was supposed to start yesterday but there was no sign of it on the ground, with both the regime and Kurdish militias pressing forward their advantage against the rebels.

“Russia has invested very seriously in this crisis, politically, diplomatically and now also militarily,” Victor Churkin, Moscow’s envoy to the UN, told Kom

newspaper. “Therefore we would like Assad also to respond to this.

“If they proceed on the basis that no ceasefire is necessary and they need to fight to a victorious end, then this conflict will last a very long time.”

Mr Assad has said his intent was to try to regain control over all the country.