Russia warns NATO to stay away from Syria
Russia warns NATO to stay away from Syria – JPost – Middle East.
MOSCOW – Russia told NATO and world powers on Tuesday they should not seek ways to intervene in the Syrian war or set up buffer zones between rebels and government forces.
The statements from Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov was one of Moscow’s most specific warnings yet to the West and Gulf Arab leaders to keep out of the 18-month-old conflict.
“In our contacts with partners in NATO and in the region, we are calling on them not to seek pretexts for carrying out a military scenario or to introduce initiatives such as humanitarian corridors or buffer zones,” Gatilov said, according to the Interfax news agency.
Russia and China have vetoed three UN Security Council resolutions condemning Syrian President Bashar Assad and blocked attempts to impose sanctions on the country or intervene more directly in its conflict.
Syria’s neighbor Turkey has floated the idea of setting up “safe zones” inside Syria to protect civilians but that would also have to be approved by the Security Council.
Gatilov urged restraint between Syria and NATO-member Turkey, one of Assad’s harshest critics. Ankara has repeatedly complained of artillery and gunfire spilling over its border and last week it signaled it would take action if there was a repeat of a mortar strike on its territory from inside Syria.
“We believe both Syrian and Turkish authorities should exercise maximum restraint in this situation, taking into account the risings number of radicals among the Syrian opposition who can intentionally provoke conflicts on the border,” Gatilov was quoted as saying.
Assad gives orders to ‘cleanse’ Aleppo
Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar Assad visited the city of Aleppo to take a first-hand look at the fighting between government forces and rebels, a Lebanese paper said on Tuesday. The report also claimed that Assad has ordered 30,000 more troops into the battle.
Al-Diyar newspaper, which is known for its pro-Assad stance, said the president had flown by helicopter at dawn from the presidential palace in Damascus to Aleppo. It did not specify what day the trip started but said that Assad was still in Aleppo. The visit was decided on after reports that the situation in the city, Syria’s largest and its commercial center, had become very serious.
“President Assad ordered units 5 and 6, estimated to be 30,000 soldiers and 2,000 personnel carriers, to move from Hama to Aleppo and to attack any occupied areas of Aleppo province from the Turkish border,” it said. The paper said that Assad gave orders that Aleppo must be “cleansed” during the visit.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the report.
Rebels mounted a new offensive last week to seize the city, which was until July firmly under Assad’s control. They claim to hold most of the Old City but are struggling to hang on to their positions in the face of heavy artillery fire.
The rebel forces are in the east and Assad’s forces in the west of Aleppo. Fires started by the combat have gutted the historic market in the Old City, a world heritage site.
Opposition activists say 30,000 people have been killed in the 18-month-old anti-Assad uprising, which has grown into a full-scale civil war.
WarSclerotic 
October 2, 2012 at 3:19 PM
By all means, we should help remove Assad from office. That way we can re-open a new U.S. embassy in Damascus so the new regime can burn it down.
Albert Einstein once said “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”
October 2, 2012 at 3:34 PM
Russia who do they think they are they are nothing just talk,time to call there bluff,Russia has nowhere left to go except hope to wait for them to come up on the list.its going to be payback time for Georgia soon,as putin said to America on the 6 22 2001 better watch your back Russia,because the whole middel east has turned on you,
October 2, 2012 at 4:42 PM
Long before any operation / strike on Iran will take place, the war in Syria will affect all this region, Israel included. There is enough volatile potential in this conflict to ignite a regional conflict and beyond that. Now the fire already passed the syrian borders (literally ). Mortars are fired into turkish territory from the syrian side; the same regarding Israel. Its already a miracle that this war has been contained between the Syria borders until now. This is not going to happen anymore.
The israeli army is preparing itself for Iran, but its eyes are focused on Syria. The real war will start there.
October 2, 2012 at 5:59 PM
the turks opened fire over the boarder an hour after the Russians opened there empty mouths this morning killing 3 people,shortly after that the NATO cheif of staff turned up in turkey and the uk sent the Russians this message http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/local/heavily-armed-lusty-on-short-notice-to-sail-to-syria-warzone-1-4322747
October 2, 2012 at 5:38 PM
Lately, I feel compelled to quote scripture…
Isaiah 17:1….The burden of Damascus. Behold, Damascus is taken away from being a city, and it shall be a ruinous heap.
October 2, 2012 at 6:03 PM
Do you think any of this helps its fueling the problem,http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/10/01/christian-tv-networks-prepare-for-live-coverage-of-jesus-christs-return/
October 2, 2012 at 7:08 PM
This prophecy is being fulfilled right under our eyes.
October 2, 2012 at 9:59 PM
Dear steve prophesys are just prophesys,thats all i cant think or find any evidence that one ever came true,however theres a lot of truth in them becoming self fulfilling,i am not questioning your faith or god,i am just pointing something out..It is irrational to believe in them of make decisions from them,look though history to see how the great have fallen through believing and making decisions in that way
October 2, 2012 at 8:39 PM
We are right on the edge…
October 2, 2012 at 9:49 PM
We have been for longer than you think,a lot longer.which is why i say bringing religion into the equation is not helpful whats called for is some reality rationalism
October 2, 2012 at 10:07 PM
Actually, it is all about religion. Islam verses non-Islam. They made it that way, not us.
October 3, 2012 at 12:29 AM
There is no doubt about that.
October 3, 2012 at 2:31 PM
No steve its not its about stopping the Chinese and Russians and preserving the western way of life its easy to think that from 10000 miles away its much deferent when your a stones throw from it were all in the firring line ,religion is a control tool used to manipulate backward and naive people
October 3, 2012 at 2:33 PM
i would add that what i mean is religion in politics,not faith are backward