DAVOS - British Prime Minister DavidCameron has dismissed any prospect of taking military actionagainst Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime but vowed to"tighten the ratchet in all the ways we can".
Britain and France have joined efforts at the United Nationsto end Assad's rule. Several diplomats said they were workingwith Qatar and other Arab delegations on a new draft resolutionsupporting an Arab League plan that envisages Assad steppingdown and making way for a unity government to halt the bloodshedof a 10-month uprising.
Asked on Thursday if he expected Assad to be gone by the endof the year, Cameron told CNN: "I would certainly hope so butI'm not going to make a forecast."
"This is not the same as Libya and we shouldn't pretend thatit is," he added when asked whether military action could beruled out.