Syria says ready to fight rebels 'for years'

DAMASCUS (AFP) - Syria warned on Tuesday it is ready to fight "for years" against rebels, as world powers worked on a new initiative to find regime officials suitable for peace talks with the opposition.

The UN children's agency Unicef said an entire generation risked being lost in the spiralling conflict between President Bashar al-Assad's forces and insurgents.

As the bloodletting approached a third year without a solution in sight, France said it was working with Russia and the United States to draw up a list of regime officials with whom the opposition can negotiate.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said "we worked together on an idea... of a list of Syrian officials who would be acceptable to Syria's opposition National Coalition." Opposition chief Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib has offered to talk to regime representatives without "blood on their hands." Britain said it would consider ignoring a European Union arms ban and could supply weapons to rebels if it would help topple Assad.