Russia Says Annan Needs to be 'Urgently' Replaced

Russia said Friday that Kofi Annan should be urgently replaced as envoy for Syria, appearing to pin the blame for his sudden resignation on the opposition to President Bashar Assad and the West.

Annan, the United Nations' and the Arab League's Syria envoy since February, resigned his post on Thursday blaming world powers for not giving him enough backing to his peace drive.

He bemoaned the "continuous finger-pointing and name-calling" in the U.N. Security Council.

"A worthy candidate to succeed Kofi Annan should be urgently found," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

"In the developing situation, keeping a U.N. presence in the country acquires special significance," it said.

Annan's dramatic resignation dealt a major blow to hopes for a political solution in Syria, whose government has been locked in a bloody conflict with the opposition since March 2011.

Russia, which has vowed to block all attempts to legitimize the use of force against its Soviet-era ally through the United Nations, said a continued U.N. presence in the conflict-torn country was key to finding a peaceful solution.

"At this stage, what is most important is not to allow the slackening of international efforts to solve the crisis in Syria," the foreign ministry said.

It called the U.N. mission in Syria "an important factor in securing international support for the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people to themselves determine ways for their country's independent democratic development."

Annan, who took the post in February, has since been to Damascus to meet Assad three times. The Syrian leader accepted Annan's six-point peace plan, including a ceasefire and moves toward political talks, but never carried it out.

The Kremlin had endorsed Annan's plan and also backed his initiative at a June meeting in Geneva that called for a political transition in Syria while making no explicit call for Assad to step down.

Russian President Vladimir Putin called Annan's resignation "a great shame."

Moscow indicated that the Syrian rebels and the Western and Arab states that support them were at least partially responsible for Annan's decision to quit.

"Unfortunately, the Syrian opposition has consistently rejected all proposals to establish political dialogue.

"Our Western partners (and) some regional states which could have influenced the opposition have done nothing," the foreign ministry said.

"Moreover, counter to U.N. Security Council and Geneva decisions all this time they have continued to render political, moral, technical and financial assistance to Syria's opposition groups essentially encouraging the intransigence of the anti-government forces."

Earlier Friday, Russian news agencies, quoting an unnamed defense source, said Moscow was planning in the coming days to send three assault ships with hundreds of marines aboard to the Syrian port of Tartus to pick up water and food supplies.

Russian news agencies have earlier reported, quoting sources, that Moscow would be sending warships to Syria, but officials have denied those reports in the past.