China to send envoy to Syria for talks

China says it is sending an envoy to Syria to push for a "peaceful" end to the conflict there, after drawing heavy criticism for vetoing a resolution condemning a crackdown on protesters.

China and Russia have faced a barrage of criticism for blocking a UN Security Council resolution condemning the bloody crackdown on protests in Syria, including from Arab nations with which Beijing normally has good ties.

Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun will visit Syria from February 17 to 18, foreign ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a regular briefing on Thursday.

"He will exchange views with the Syrian government and parties concerned in Syria on the current ... situation to push for a peaceful and proper resolution of the ... crisis," Liu said.

Beijing said on Tuesday one of its diplomats had met the Arab League head to discuss the crisis and that another envoy would soon go to the Middle East.

Li Huaxin travelled to Egypt on Friday to meet with foreign ministry officials and held talks with Nabil el-Araby, head of the Arab League, on Monday to explain why Beijing vetoed the resolution.

Li, who was Beijing's ambassador to Syria until last year, will go to Saudi Arabia and Qatar to further lay out China's position on Syria, Liu said previously.

China's special envoy on the Middle East Wu Sike will also travel to Israel, the Palestinian territories and Jordan from February 19 to 23 to expand on Beijing's position on Syria.

China has repeatedly defended its decision to veto the UN Security Council resolution, saying it would not protect the regime of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and that its priority was to prevent further violence.

Beijing said last week it had held talks with a key Syrian opposition group, the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change, which it said called for China "to play a bigger role" in resolving the Syrian crisis.

Liu said on Thursday that Zhai would deliver a message to Syria that China "hopes for a peaceful and proper resolution" to the crisis and "the Chinese side will play a constructive role in mediation".

Thirteen countries voted for the UN Security Council resolution, which aimed to give strong backing to the Arab League's plan to end a deadly government crackdown on protesters.

'OVER 6000 KILLED'

More than 6000 people have died in nearly a year of upheaval in Syria, as Assad's hardline regime seeks to snuff out a revolt that began with peaceful protests in March 2011 amid the Arab Spring.

Assad on Wednesday called a constitutional referendum for later this month that would effectively end nearly 50 years of single-party rule, which critics see as a move aimed at placating growing global outrage over the bloodshed.

A day after rejecting UN allegations of crimes against humanity, called the referendum for February 26, in a move aimed at placating growing global outrage over the bloodshed.

The proposed charter drops Article 8, which declared the ruling Baath Party as the "leader of the state and society," allowing for a multi-party system, state television said.

The president, who must be a Muslim man, can serve a maximum of two seven-year terms, although it is unclear if this would apply to Assad, who is already in his second term.

In April, Assad scrapped emergency rule in force since 1963, when the Baathists took power in a coup d'etat. But he has repeatedly promised reforms that have failed to materialise since the uprising erupted in March.

The United States dismissed the move as laughable. Russia, a major weapons supplier to Damascus, welcomed it.

White House spokesman Jay Carney said "it's actually quite laughable - it makes a mockery of the Syrian revolution.

"Promises of reforms have usually been followed by an increase in brutality and have never been delivered upon by this regime since the beginning of peaceful demonstrations in Syria."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: "we certainly believe a new constitution to end one-party rule in Syria is a step forward. It is a welcome idea and we hope the constitution will be adopted."

The opposition Syrian National Council is likely to reject the constitution, given that one of its main guiding principles is "to overthrow the regime using all legal means".

Regardless, the proposed charter rules out most of the opposition as it bans religious parties and dual nationals, preventing the SNC, which includes the Muslim Brotherhood, and most of its leadership from running for office.

FOUR KILLED IN DARAA

Assad's decision came as four people were killed in clashes between security forces and army defectors in the southern Syrian city of Daraa, where troops deployed heavily, a monitoring group said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said regime forces were also shelling the central flashpoint city of Homs, which according to rights watchdogs has been under a relentless assault that has killed nearly 400 people since February 4.

"The neighbourhood of Baba Amr is once again being shelled this morning," the Britain-based group said in a statement.

"The shelling also targeted the neighbourhoods of Inshaat and Khaldiyeh," it added.

In Daraa, cradle of the 11-month revolt against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, the Observatory said a civilian was killed in clashes between security forces and defectors.

Three security force members were also killed.

In Damascus, security forces deployed in Qabun, on the northeastern outskirts of the capital, and were conducting search operations, the Observatory said.

Security forces were also searching homes and carrying out arrests in the town of Jasem, in Daraa province.

"Six people from the al-Halqi family have been arrested," said the monitoring group.

The Arabic-language daily Al-Watan said Thursday that security forces had managed to track down armed groups in Baba Amr and in orchards in Jobar and Sultaniyeh, also in Homs.

It said troops had "killed, injured and arrested several people" during these operations and had destroyed tunnels in the city that facilitated the movement of armed groups.