THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Russia called for all sides in Syria’s growing civil war to lay down their arms as they compared the situation a "civil war".
Residents claimed 20 people died in a rebel attack on an air force intelligence base on the outskirts of Damascus.
“This is already completely similar to real civil war,” Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said. He urged “all states” to demand that not only the government but also the opposition to halt the violence and begin talks.
Russia, along with China, has vetoed further international sanctions against their long-term strategic ally at the United Nations. But both are growing increasingly alarmed that in the absence of any foreign intervention the situation is spiralling out of control anyway. » | Richard Spencer, Adrian Blomfield and Alex Spillius | Thursday, November 17, 2011
