Russia stated Friday that it was using its contacts with the Syrian regime to urge Damascus to fully cooperate with UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s mission.

Russia stated Friday that it was using its contacts with the Syrian regime to urge Damascus to fully cooperate with UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s mission, and demanded the other Security Council members to act similarly, and demand the Syrian “opposition” to halt escalating the situation.

Speaking ahead of a video conference Annan was to hold with the UN in New York later Friday on his mission to find a settlement to the crisis, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: “We are working with Kofi Annan on a day-to-day basis and are sending relevant signals to Damascus to ensure full cooperation with his mission by the Syrian leadership.”

Lavrov added in a televised news conference that “we are expecting all members of the Security Council to support these efforts."

"This means that not only China and us should send Damascus a signal to fully cooperate with Kofi Annan's mission, but other Security Council members should also do their job and demand the opposition not provoke an escalation of the situation," the Russian FM was quoted as saying.

In contrast, AFP said that “activists” on Facebook called for rallies across Syria on Friday to demand "immediate military intervention" in the country.

“Activists called on their Facebook page, Syrian Revolution 2011, for nationwide protests after weekly Muslim prayers to demand immediate military intervention by the Arabs and Muslims, followed by the rest of the world," AFP reported.