The international peace envoy for Syria said the situation in the country was deteriorating sharply, but a solution was still possible under the terms of a peace plan agreed in Geneva in June.
Lakhdar Brahimi said the state would collapse without a solution, reiterating warnings the country could turn into "hell" and a new Somalia.
"I say the solution must be this year: 2013, and, God willing, before the second anniversary of this crisis," Mr Brahimi, joint UN-Arab League envoy, said at the Arab League in Cairo, referring to the start of the uprising in March 2011.
We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.
Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.
