Chief UN Syria monitor sees push for military solution, opposition meets in Istanbul

The chief U.N. monitor in Syria said on Friday that there was a move towards military gains in the country rather than a willingness for peaceful transition.   

"There appears to be a lack of willingness to see a peaceful transition. Instead there is a push towards advancing military positions," said Norwegian Major-General Robert Mood, who leads the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria.   

Mood did not specify whether he was referring to President Bashar al-Assad or rebels fighting the embattled leader, but later implied he was referring to both sides.

Representatives of different Syrian opposition groups kicked-off a two day-long meeting in Istanbul on Friday in an attempt to “unify” the opposition’s vision amid the crisis sweeping through the country.        

In the field, nine bodies were found killed, “some slaughtered”, in the town of Hammouriya in Damascus suburb on Thursday evening, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.          

In international positions, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov denied Friday Fabius' statement that Russia was discussing plans for a Syrian political transformation that would follow the exit of President Bashar al-Assad, emphasising Moscow's position that the country's future is up to Syrians themselves to decide without external pressure.      

The Russian Foreign Ministry had reiterated that it did not carry out new deliveries of military helicopters to Syria, confirming that it had previously repaired helicopters under old contracts.        
In this regard, American sources revealed that the U.S. is providing the “peaceful opposition” in Syria with means of communications, mainly means used to schedule the “atrocities” committed in the country.          

The spokesperson for the U.S. Ministry of Foreign Affairs Victoria Noland said that this assistance provided to the opponents of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad is a part of the efforts exerted by Washington to contribute to the internet freedom all over the world.             

While Noland refused to disclose further details on the assistance, a well-informed source said that it includes GPS-equipped satellite phones aimed at scheduling the places where “atrocities are being committed in Syria.”            

For its part, Paris said it is planning to provide the Syrian opposition with means of communication, expecting a conference on Syria to be held with Major Powers in Geneva on June 30.          

Also on Friday, Britain's ambassador to the U.N. said that time is running out for the peace plan of international mediator Kofi Annan, calling on the UNSC to take stricter measures to impose the implementation of this plan.     

Meanwhile activists called for nationwide anti-Assad rallies, to gather “money, weapons and morale” to begin the final liberation battle. This as opposition figures meet in Istanbul to unify their vision in light of escalating violence in the country.

In a separate event, 9 bodies were found  in Damascus Reef Thursday night, some of which were “slaughtered”, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.