Syrian official says regime won't back down first
A Syrian official says Damascus will not pull troops from cities and towns engulfed in the country's unrest before life returns to normal in these areas. Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdessi told state TV late Friday the military is in these cities "in a state of self defense and protecting civilians."
He spoke just hours after the UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's office appealed on Syria's government to stop military activities first as "the stronger party" and in a "gesture of good faith." (AP)
