Kurds warn Turkey from entering Syria, GCC criticizes Lavrov's statements

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan will meet high-ranking Chinese officials on Tuesday and Wednesday, not at the end of this week as it was scheduled. It added that Beijing supports his efforts and hopes he will find a solution to the Syrian crisis.       

On the eve of Annan’s expected visit to Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov criticized the GCC’s Secretary General Abdul Latif Al Zayani’s latest statements. The latter said that a number of countries in the region are exerting pressure for the establishment of a Sunni regime in Syria. Lavrov said that these statements are not in line with the agreement that was reached in Cairo between Moscow and the Arab League.

For its part, the GCC criticized Lavrov's statements, saying that they are not in line with the agreement reached in Cairo between Moscow and the Arab League.

Meanwhile, activists said Syrian troops have fired mortar rounds at a rebel-held neighborhood in the central city of Homs in apparent preparation to storm the area.

Rami Abdul-Rahman, who is head of the British-Based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the heavily-populated Khaldiyeh neighborhood has been shelled since early Saturday.

The neighborhoods, one of Homs' largest, has been under rebel control for months. Activists also reported that Syrian troops backed by tanks have stormed a northwestern town amid intense shelling.

The British-Based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Local Coordination Committees said the troops entered Saraqeb from the north and are pushing forward. The Observatory said at least 20 civilians were killed Saturday.

The groups said troops, accompanied by scores of pro-government gunmen known as shabiha, are raiding homes and detaining people.

Meanwhile, Turkish Kurd militants threatened to turn all Kurdish populated areas into a "war zone" if Turkish troops entered Syria