Annan announces new plan for Syrian crisis with participation of Tehran
Damascus (AsiaNews) - UN and Arab League peace envoy Kofi Annan, has announced an agreement
with President Bashar al-Assad for a new plan to be submitted to the rebels to
end 16 months of violence. Today, the former Secretary General of the United
Nations will be in Tehran, where he will meet
Ali Akbar Salehi, Iran's
foreign minister, to convince Damascus'
main ally to work for a diplomatic solution to the conflict.
In recent months Annan, has repeatedly tried to engage Iran in negotiations, despite the opposition of
the United States, Europe and Syrian rebels. The Syrian National Council
(SNC) yesterday criticized the diplomatic mission calling it a
"failure" and demanding once again, decisive action by the international
community to stop bombings and clashes.
The new plan by UN and Arab League envoy proposed last June 30 at Geneva in accordance with
the regime and rebels, is for the creation of safe conditions for a ceasefire,
to allow freedom of movement for humanitarian agencies. On the diplomatic
front, the hypothesis is the formation of a coalition government with
opposition members and members of the former regime, respecting the national
sovereignty of Syria.
However, many think it will be almost impossible to implement the plan even with
the help of Tehran.
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) and SNC reject any solution involving agreements or
contacts with the regime and for months have called for armed intervention along
the lines of the one in Libya.
Meanwhile, the army continues to bombard the rebel stronghold of Qusayr. Dozens
of civilians were killed and hundreds were forced to flee their homes. Images
broadcast by the rebels on the internet showed several wounded children. Clashes
also took place in Damascus and Aleppo, where the war has not spared even the
central districts of the city.
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