Syria accepts Annan peace plan—spokesman

GENEVA – The government in Damascus has agreed to accept UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan’s six-point plan on ending the bloodshed in Syria, the former UN chief’s spokesman said Tuesday.

“The Syrian government has written to the Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan accepting his six-point plan, endorsed by the United Nations Security Council,” spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said in a statement.

“Mr Annan views this as an important initial step that could bring an end to the violence and the bloodshed, provide aid to the suffering, and create an environment conducive to a political dialogue that would fulfil the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people,” he said.

Annan has written to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad asking Damascus to “put its commitments into immediate effect”.

Annan’s plan calls for a UN-supervised halt to fighting, with the government pulling troops and heavy weapons out of protest cities, a daily two-hour humanitarian ceasefire and access to all areas affected by the fighting.

He also urged the release of people detained over the past year of the uprising against Assad’s regime in which monitors say more than 9,100 people have been killed.

“Mr Annan has stressed that implementation will be key, not only for the Syrian people, who are caught in the middle of this tragedy, but also for the region and the international community as a whole,” Fawzi said.