With Bashar al-Assad's embattled regime facing mountingdiplomatic pressure, a top presidential aide was dispatched to China, which hascalled for an immediate ceasefire and political dialogue to end the brutal17-month conflict.
China and Russia are deeply at odds with the West over howto end the bloodshed, after both traditional Syria allies vetoed UN SecurityCouncil resolutions, leaving the international community deadlocked on thecrisis.
Assad advisor Bouthaina Shaaban is to hold talks withForeign Minister Yang Jiechi and other officials, the foreign ministry said,adding that Beijing was also considering inviting members of the Syrianopposition to visit soon.
UN humanitarian chief Valerie Amos also arrived in Damascuson a regional visit "to draw attention to the deteriorating humanitariansituation" and discuss ways of scaling-up relief efforts, her office said.
Over one million people have been displaced by the fightingand another 140,000 have fled to Syria's neighbours, the UN says, many of themliving in tent camps in sometimes miserable conditions.
Many areas engulfed in the relentless fighting in Syria arealso facing a desperate plight, suffering from food shortages, power outagesand lack of medical supplies.
Damascus is also facing pressure from fellow Muslim statesas the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) meets in the Saudi City ofMecca to discuss a recommendation for Syria to be suspended from the 57-nationbody.
But Iran -- Damascus's closest ally -- is vehementlyopposed.
"We certainly do not agree agree with the suspension ofany OIC member," Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said yesterday."We have to look for other ways, means and mechanisms for resolvingconflicts and crises."
Yesterday, the rebel Free Army claimed it had shot down agovernment warplane in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor and issued a video ofa man it said was the captured pilot.
FSA spokesman Kassem Saadeddine identified the pilot asColonel Mufid Mohammed Sleiman and said he was a member of Assad's Alawiteminority community and a "staunch enemy of the revolution".
If confirmed, it would be the first time the rebels -- whohave been demanding anti-aircraft weapons in the face of escalating attacksfrom the sky -- succeeded in downing a government plane since the conflicterupted.
State media said only that plane had crashed after sufferingtechnical problems and that the pilot had ejected.
