Defense Chief - Pressures Russia Reuters - Friend Flees Assad As U

By Samia Nakhoul and Nicholas Vinocur

BEIRUT/PARIS Fri Jul 6, 2012 1:07pm EDT

BEIRUT/PARIS (Reuters) - One regarding President Bashar al-Assad's personal associates possesses defected and appeared to be headed with regard to exile in France about Friday, because Syrian crisis took over a Cold War firmness when Washington confronted to generate Russia as well as China "pay" regarding assistance the government in Damascus.

Manaf Tlas, a cadet student classmate, Republican Guard general and daughter associated with Assad's dad's defense chief , features yet to surface abroad, and also evidently to dispose of their great deal in with that rebels, who seem to recognized the loss with probably his or her strongholds overnight.

But his or her desertion, leaked by friends and family friends, was verified by way of that French government. That offered some sort of increase with a conference them hosted throughout Paris where Western powers and also Sunni Arab rulers, bitterly in contrast to be able to Assad's Iranian-sponsored administration, agreed to "massively increase" guide towards Syrian opposition.

The flying of Tlas, your glamorous, 40-something light fixture associated with the two Damascus contemporary society along with Assad's praetorian close defense force, could possess confined practical impact. But the idea offers succor that will an visitors in which will be divided and the wrong way armed, along with to be able to overseas backers whose assurances of flagging well-being inside Assad's inner eliptical have in progress that will wear skinny right after of sixteen a few months of conflict.

"If persons similar to him, and such as the generals in addition to colonels among others who have just lately defected to Turkey are generally virtually any indication, regimen insiders as well as the armed service business will be starting off to help vote using feet," U.S. Secretary connected with State Hillary Clinton said in Paris after a new speech lambasting Moscow plus Beijing in uncommon strong phrases intended for preventing U.N. steps versus Assad.

"The solely technique that may alter can be whenever just about every region manifested here instantly and urgently makes it clear which Russia along with China are going to pay a price for the reason that usually are keeping in place progress, blockading it," the girl instructed the 50 or hence delegations.

However, because previous season has shown, methods of Assad's invaders that will demand their defenders stay limited, provided that economical as well as political durability connected with the two Russia in addition to China.

Moscow, an ally considering that Cold War nights of Assad's father, has backed a new proposal by way of U.N. envoy Kofi Annan with regard to a transitional, countrywide unity federal government inside Damascus. But, such as China, Moscow is usually cautious with what exactly it percieves while a rising Western style with regard to "regime change", and opposes forcing Assad to stage down.

In response to help Clinton's remarks, Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov mentioned your lady was contradicting the actual common tactic that split universe forces managed that will concur from Geneva final week.