Annan offered last chance for Syria: Russia

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned Syria that Kofi Annan represented the last chance for avoiding a civil war and offered the UN-Arab League envoy Moscows full support.Medvedevs stark message to Moscows traditional ally Sunday came only hours after US President Barack Obama announced plans to send non-lethal aid to the Syrian rebels and as new waves of violence swept the battle-scarred country.Dozens were killed in fighting on Sunday as the Syrian army pressed its assault on protest hubs, with at least 18 civilians among the dead, according to activists and monitors.Russia has been facing mounting Western and Arab calls to step up pressure and stop delivering arms to President Bashar al-Assads regime after a year of violence that the opposition says has claimed more than 9,100 lives.Moscow on Wednesday backed a non-binding Security Council statement after vetoing two previous resolutions -- but only after making sure the text contained no implicit threat of further action should Assad fail to comply.Medvedevs comments on Sunday appeared to be aimed at Assad.This may be the last chance for Syria to avoid a protracted and bloody civil war, Medvedev told Annan at a meeting in Moscow before the Russian leaders departure for a summit in Seoul.We will be offering you our full support at any level at which we have a say, said Medvedev.We very much hope that your efforts have a positive outcome.Annan replied that he expected Russia to play an active role in making sure that both sides followed the points of the UN Security Council-backed initiative.The UN-Arab League envoy is expected in China on Tuesday to shore up backing for his efforts from the two UN Security Council members that have blocked previous efforts to condemn Assads regime.China has also expressed support for Annans mission amid signs of quickly waning support for Assad from his traditional friends.The UN Security Council-backed peace plan requires Assad to pull back his forces from protest cities and provide immediate humanitarian access to the thousands of civilians trapped inside.It makes no explicit demands on the opposition and calls for a gradual transition to a more representative government. Assads role in the new set-up is left undefined.Russias Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov wrote on Twitter after the Annan meeting that the (Syrian) authorities appear to be ready to carry this out.Moscow has in recent weeks tried to play down its sway over Assad, accusing him of making a lot of mistakes and noting that he often refused to listen to Russias suggestions on ending the crisis.