Russia May Back UN Security Council on Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced that Russia would be willing to endorse a UN Security Council statement backing UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's Syrian peace mission, as long as the "threat" of further measures and the deadline of seven days are removed from the text. Annan's proposal includes a ceasefire, humanitarian aid, and diplomatic talks between the government and the opposition groups.

Russia has repeatedly blocked other UN Security Council decisions on Syria, accusing the world of trying to nation build in Syria. The Russian government will not accept anything that calls for the removal of President Bashar al-Assad from power. Monday, Russian press accidentally leaked that Russian troops are in Syria, which the government quickly denied. Russia already supplies Syria with military hardware, and maintains a naval base in Tartus.

Syria, has seen deadly protests for over a year. Some areas of the country have simply been massacred by the government, whilst other areas are in a state of total civil war. The Syrian government has recently been caught placing land mines in areas frequented by refugees as escape routes. The death toll in Syria, is likely over 10,000, possibly even closer to 15,000.