Russia warns West of 'big war' in Syria

Moscow, July 5 (IANS/RIA Novosti) Moscow lashed out Thursday at the Western position on Syria, saying it could aggravate the situation to the point of war.

"Their (Western) position is most likely to exacerbate the situation, lead to further violence and ultimately a very big war," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.

He said the West has also distorted the Russian position on Syria by suggesting Moscow should offer Syrian President Bashar al-Assad asylum.

"This is either an unscrupulous attempt to mislead serious people who shape foreign policy or simply a misunderstanding of what is going on," Lavrov said.

He also warned that Russia will reject any UN Security Council peace enforcement resolution on Syria, since that would be "nothing but intervention".

The minister said representatives of the Syrian opposition will visit Moscow next week.

The UN estimated in May that around 10,000 people have been killed in Syria since the beginning of a revolt against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based organisation with a network of activists in Syria, has revised the toll to around 16,500.

--IANS/RIA Novosti

pm/vm