Russia warns against UN action in Syria A western-backed move to press President Bashar al-Assad to cede power in Syria was a "path to civil war" Russia's deputy foreign minister said on Tuesday. Gennady Gatilov's warning came as troops in the Syrian capital, Damascus fought for a fifth day to regain control of the city's suburbs from armed protesters. As the United Nations Security Council prepared for a debate on whether to support an Arab League plan for a transitional government in Syria, Mr Gatilov was quoted by Russian media as saying the draft under discussion would "not lead to a search for compromise." Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov insisted that the Security Council would not allow military intervention in Syria. However, Russia's Interfax news agency appeared to put out contradictory signals in quoting Mr Lavrov to the effect that Mr Assad was "not Russia's friend or ally," and that although Russia would not ask him to resign, it had "never claimed Al Assad's further tenure was a prerequisite for crisis settlement in Syria." The international community, including long-standing allies of Damascus, such as Moscow, is under intense pressure to contain the escalating violence in Syria. The regime is continuing a crackdown on its increasingly militarised opponents which has already claimed at least 5,400 lives, according to the UN. Tanks were reported to have advanced into the Damascus suburbs of Irbeen and Amalka on Tuesday, though it was not possible to verify the information. Fighting between the regime and armed opponents in the Damascus suburbs and in other hotspots such as the central city of Homs has killed more than 100 civilians since last Thursday, according to activists. Arab League chief Nabil al Arabi, will ask the Security Council on Tuesday to support the new peace plan, which would involve Mr Assad handing power to his deputy to pave the way for a national unity government and elections. On Saturday the Arab League announced that it was suspending efforts to ensure implementation of a peace agreement that Damascus had previously signed up to because of increasing violence. In a sign of western powers" eagerness to see the draft resolution adopted, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Alain Juppe, the French foreign minister, and William Hague, British foreign minister, were set to attend Tuesday's session in New York. A French official told the Associated Press that the resolution already had support from a majority of Security Council members, meaning that it would take a veto to stop it. But Russia has, along with China, already vetoed one resolution on Syria, and appears to be bargaining hard in the latest diplomatic negotiations. Among its concerns are thought to be a reference to "further measures" in the draft resolution if Mr Assad does not comply.