Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Damascus on Tuesday was long planned, but the timing was perfect for the Syrian leadership. After all, a UN Security Council resolution proposed by Arab and European nations condemning the violence and supporting an Arab League plan to end the Syria crisis failed on Saturday because both China and Russia vetoed it.

Syria's president, largely isolated from the international community, could thus be sure to welcome an ally who has also proven to be a reliable arms supplier.

Ambivalent role

At the same time, Russia's stance on Syria appears to be ambivalent, according to Volker Perthes, mideast expert and head of Germany's Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP). He told Deutsche Welle Lavrov seemed to be nudging the Assad regime toward political reform and a serious dialogue with the opposition. "But it's probably too late for that," Perthes said.

Russia's foreign minister said after talks in Damascus that President Assad was "fully committed" to ending the bloodshed in Syria. Lavrov said Syria was ready to see an enlarged Arab League mission in the country and added Moscow wanted to see a rapid solution to the crisis based on the plan put forward by the Arab League.

Worldwide indignation

Rolf Mützenich, a foreign policy spokesman for Germany's opposition Social Democrats in parliament, said Lavrov's talks in Syria came much too late. "Russia realized too late that public political steps are necessary to stop Assad's fatal course of action," he said.

Russia's veto in the UN Security Council on Saturday triggered outrage across the globe. Observers suspect Russia's stance may be related to the fact that Moscow's only military base outside of the former Soviet Union is situated on Syria's Mediterranean coast. Russia has supported Syria time and again and now it is apparently trying to avoid a political change of course that would mean losing face.

Escalating violence

While Bashar al-Assad held talks with the Russian foreign minister, Syrian troops continued to attack civilian districts in the town of Homs.

The so-called revolutionary committees, who are also responsible for coordinating the uprising against the regime, said more than 30 had died in the Homs shelling by Tuesday afternoon; 128 people were killed nation-wide on Monday, they said.

The allegations can not be verified as few independent journalists operate in Syria these days. Syria's state news agency Sana reported security forces in Homs pursued "armed terrorist groups" and had killed "dozens of terrorists" on Monday.

Italy, France, Spain, Britain and Denmark have meanwhile recalled their ambassadors from Damascus in protest to the violence. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle announced Berlin would not assign a new German ambassador to Syria for the time being.

Exodus of ambassadors

The previous German ambassador to Damascus, Andreas Reinicke, was appointed new EU envoy to the Middle East peace process earlier this month. The German embassy has been operating with a skeleton staff. Washington on Monday indefinitely closed its embassy - re-opened just a year ago - and urged all US citizens to leave the country.

But many Syrians, especially from the protest movement, feel it is important that foreign diplomats stay in Syria, Mideast expert Perthes said. "There are very few foreign journalists in the country and diplomats are among the few who can move around freely and report on events," he said. "A diplomatic presence makes sense."

But Perthes was wary of a suggestion by US Senator Joseph Lieberman to support the opposition with weapons: "In view of the protest movement's moral superiority, it is important and right to keep up its peaceful nature."

Author: Anne Allmeling / db
Editor: Rob Mudge