Representative says Syria's crisis 'exacerbating'

DAMASCUS - Visiting UN-Arab League special representative Lakhdar Brahimi said in Damascus upon arrival that there is a "big crisis" in Syria and it is "exacerbating" as the violence went on in several hotspots nationwide claiming the lives of many people.

"I think no one would disagree on the necessity to stop the bleeding and restore harmony among the sons of the country and I hope we could do that," he said.

Brahimi arrived in Syria Thursday on a three-day visit. He met with the Iranian ambassador to Syria Mohammad Rida Shaibani and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem. He is also set to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and some opposition figures during the next two days.

After meeting with Brahimi, the Iranian ambassador expressed his country's support to the efforts of Brahimi to find a political solution to Syria's crisis.

Shaibani said his country supports Brahimi as it had supported his predecessor Kofi Annan.

He said that Iran is ready to back all efforts to solve Syrian crisis politically and promote a national dialogue, noting that Iran is a major power in the region and has a great impact.

"We have conveyed our point of view about the developments in Syria and the meeting was good and fruitful," he told reporters on his way out of the Damarose Hotel where the Brahimi along with the members of the UN political office reside.

Shaibani also hoped that Brahimi would listen to all opinions and points of views, adding that he should also look into the factors that had rendered his predecessor's mission aborted.

Meanwhile, after meeting with Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, Brahimi's spokesperson Ahamd Fawzi told reporters that special representative had a candid and comprehensive discussion with al- Moallem about the Syrian crisis.

Brahimi "expressed his own concern over the welfare of the Syrian people and said that in this mission his only masters were the Syrian people and their welfare and their stability and their security were his priority," Fawzi said.

According to Fawzi, Brahimi told Moallem that "there is no denying that the situation in Syria is serious and that he would spare no effort to try to find a resolution to this crisis and to stop the suffering of the Syrian people."

He said Brahimi was pleased to hear from the foreign minister that "the Syrian government and the foreign minister were committed to ensuring the successes of his mission."

Fawzi also said that envoy's mission is "daunting," calling on the influential countries to use their clout to help curb the bloodshed in Syria.

Meanwhile, the state-run SANA news agency said Moallem told Brahimi that the success of his mission relies on the seriousness of the countries that have appointed him to his mission and their truthfulness in helping Syria.

Brahimi is tasked with brokering a diplomatic solution to the conflict after replacing former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who stepped down as the UN-Arab League (AL) joint special envoy in August in frustration after his six-point peace plan bore no fruits.

Before heading to Damascus, Brahimi visited Egypt and met with officials in the Arab League and some Egyptian leaders.

Speaking at a news conference after meeting with a number of Egyptian officials in Cairo, Brahimi said that there will be "no miracle" solution to end the crisis in Syria.

While Brahimi is expressing concerns, fighting and violence have continued Thursday.

A total of 32 armed men were killed Thursday in a "qualitative" operation carried out by the Syrian army in the Bab Houd area in the central province of Homs, the pro-government Sham FM radio said.

Separately, SANA said the Syrian troops inflicted hefty toll on the armed groups in Homs, northern Aleppo, Hasaka and southern Daraa province.

SANA also said that hundreds of Syrians gathered Thursday outside the US Embassy in Damascus to protest the US movie "Innocence of Islam" which abused Islam and Prophet Mohammad.

Protesters waved placards condemning the film as instigating religious conflicts and blamed the US administration for allowing the production and screening of the movie.

Meanwhile, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said as many as 80 people were killed nationwide Thursday, 57 of whom were unarmed civilians, yet the opposition's claim couldn't be checked independently.