9 Jul 2012

‘Constructive’ Syria talks between Assad and Annan

UN envoy to Syria Kofi Annan has suggested his six-point peace plan could be revived after “constructive and positive” talks with President Bashar al-Assad.

Mr Annan said they had discussed the need to “end the violence” and how they would try to achieve that.

“We agreed an approach which I will share with the armed opposition. I also stressed the importance of moving ahead with a political dialogue, which the president accepts,” Mr Annan said.

“President Assad reassured me of the government’s commitment to the six-point plan which, of course, we should move ahead to implement in a much better fashion than has been the situation so far.”

Mr Annan has travelled from Damascus to Iran, where he is to brief the Iranian government on the outcome of the meetings.

The meeting came a day after Assad appeared on a German television station, accusing the US, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia of supplying arms to “terrorists” who are trying to overthrow him.

Not running away

President Assad also ruled out stepping down, which is one of the opposition’s key demands for a transition of power.

We agreed an approach which I will share with the armed opposition. I also stressed the importance of moving ahead with a political dialogue, which the president accepts. Kofi Annan, UN International Envoy

“To stay in this position, in this situation, you must have support,” Syria’s president told German TV station ARD.

“The president shouldn’t run away from a challenge and we have a national challenge in Syria now,” he said.

Russia has announced it will not deliver Yak-130 fighter planes to Syria while the situation remains “unresolved”.

Opposition activists in Syria reported more violence on Monday, with shelling and gunfire in Deir Ezzor, Deraa, Homs, Aleppo and a neighbourhood of Damascus.

At least 10,000 people have been killed since violence began in March last year, accoding to UN estimates.