Obama:Russia, China oppose removal of Assad

US President Barack Obama says the Russian and Chinese leaders do not agree that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should be removed from office.Obama told reporters after the Group of 20 summit in Los Cabos, Mexico, that he had intensive discussions on the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao.

  Barack said the Russian and Chinese leaders recognize the danger of an all-out civil war in Syria. Obama  said he failed to convince them that Syrian peace cannot be achieved without Assad's resignation.

Putin told reporters that only the Syrians should decide whether Assad stays or steps down.

He said just changing the regime is not enough to end the bloodshed and secure the peace.

 Security Council has agreed to keep the UN ceasefire monitoring mission in Syria. This is despite escalating violence in the country that has halted the mission's activities.Chief of the UN mission Robert Mood reported to an informal meeting of the council on Tuesday. He said the monitors had suspended their activities as escalating mortar attacks made it too risky for them to do their jobs.

But the council has decided to keep the 300 monitors in Syria to resume activities once their safety is secured.Mood told reporters after the meeting that the suffering of the Syrian people is worsening. He said the monitors would not be leaving Syria.