Fresh attacks ahead of UN vote

The Syrian government's violent crackdown continued on Thursday with troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad launching attacks in Daraa.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said a local man was killed after government troops fired randomly in the dissident province. The London-based organization also reported that three army defectors had been killed in clashes with the army.

Thursday's violence followed a push by government troops in the cities of Hama and Homs, in what appeared to be an attempt to crush a fledgling rebel army.

From the Security Council to the General Assembly

This came just hours before the United Nations General Assembly in New York was to vote on a resolution aimed at ending the violence in Syria. The text of the Saudi-sponsored draft is similar to that contained in a European-Arab-backed Security Council resolution that was vetoed by Russia and China at a meeting on February 4.

Resolutions approved by the 193-nation General Assembly have no legal force, but due to the fact that none of its members wield vetoes, it is usually much easier to get them passed.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has called on the General Assembly to pass the resolution as a show of solidarity with the people of Syria. “Germany supports the resolution put forward by the Arab states,” Westerwelle said, adding that the violence in Syria must end and political change must follow.

China, meanwhile, announced that Deputy Foreign Minister Zhai Jun will visit Damascus on February 17 and 18 for talks aimed at ending the violence.

"He will exchange views with the Syrian government and parties concerned in Syria on the current ... situation to push for a peaceful and proper resolution of the ... crisis," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told reporters in Beijing.

Thumbs down to referendum

Syrian opposition groups have rejected a plan announced by President Assad on Wednesday to hold a referendum on a new constitution.

“The Local Coordination Committees calls upon our people to reject and boycott the alleged referendum to confirm the lack of public support for this criminal regime,” the organization said in a statement. “We see no alternative but to topple the regime along with its symbols, representatives and foundational ideology.”

The opposition Syrian National Council expressed a similar sentiment.

"The opposition cannot accept a political solution like this while the regime continues to brutally kill our people," Naji Tayyara of the Council said.

The US also rejected the February 26 referendum plan.

White House spokesman Jay Carney noted that the Assad regime had broken all previous pledges of reform. "The Assad regime's days are numbered," Carney said.

pfd/st (dpa, AFP, Reuters)