Syria's regime declared Saturday it has defeated those seeking to bring it down while reiterating support for a UN-Arab peace plan, as its troops reportedly shelled rebels in the city of Homs.
Foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdisi, cited by the official SANA news agency, also said Syrian troops would only draw back from urban areas once the security situation is stable.
The United Nations says more than 9,000 people have been killed in the crackdown by forces of President Bashar al-Assad on an Arab Spring-inspired uprising that began a year ago with pro-democracy protests.
"The battle to topple the state is over, and the battle to solidify stability... and move on towards a renewed Syria has begun," Makdisi said in an interview originally carried on state television.
The spokesman said the Assad government's focus was also to "rally visions behind the reform process" and "prevent those who seek to sabotage reform."
Troops would only withdraw from residential zones once they were secure, Makdisi said, adding UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan acknowledged there were "illegitimate armed elements within the opposition".
Annan appealed for an immediate ceasefire on Friday, as monitors said at least 39 people -- all but seven of them civilians -- were killed in Syria as security forces sought to crush the revolt.
Shells rained down on the flashpoint central city of Homs on Friday, as thousands of people took to the streets across the country to protest against what they regard as the inaction of Arab governments dealing with the crisis.
Violence across Syria killed at least seven people on Saturday as security forces fired at a Damascus funeral for protesters who died the previous day during demonstrations, monitors said.
The monitoring group also reported heavy fighting since dawn near Damascus and in the southern province of Daraa, cradle of the uprising.
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton yesterday said her country will work with Gulf Arab nations to strengthen their shared defenses against threats including Iran.
She took part in a key meeting later on Syria crisis where The United States and Gulf Arab states urged envoy Kofi Annan to produce a "timeline for next steps" in his peace plan for Syria if President Bashar al-Assad fails to stop the bloodshed .
But there are differences over how to help the Syrian people in their bid for democracy.
Saudi Arabia and its neighbour Qatar have called for arming the opposition. But an Arab League summit in Baghdad this week rejected the option of arming any side, and called on all parties to engage in a "serious national dialogue."
In another positive gesture, Syria has agreed to admit a UN team of experts to examine conditions for a possible observer mission in the violence-swept country, its foreign ministry said in a statement.
In Washington, the Treasury Department announced it was targeting Defence Minister Dawoud Rajiha as well as the army's deputy chief of staff and the head of presidential security, in its latest round of sanctions against Damascus.
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