JOINT UN-ARAB LEAGUE ENVOY URGES SYRIAN PRESIDENT TO TAKE 'BOLD STEPS' TO END VIOLENCE

JOINT UN-ARAB LEAGUE ENVOY URGES SYRIAN PRESIDENT TO TAKE 'BOLD STEPS' TO END VIOLENCE
New York, May 29 2012 10:10AM
In a meeting with the Syrian President, Bashar Al-Assad, the Joint Special Envoy of the United Nations and the League of Arab States on the Syrian Crisis, Kofi Annan, today stressed that a peace plan, put forward in March, cannot succeed without "bold steps" to stop the violence and release detainees.

According to a statement released by his spokesperson, during the meeting this morning, Mr. Annan also conveyed, in frank terms, "the grave concern of the international community about the violence in Syria," and, in particular, the events in Houla over the weekend.

Mr. Annan arrived in the Syrian capital of Damascus yesterday, just days after a massacre of over 100 men, women and children in the village of Houla, which he described as "an appalling crime."

Mr. Annan also stressed the importance of the full implementation of the six-point plan, which he put forward in
March this year. It calls for an end to violence, access for humanitarian agencies to provide relief to those in need, the release of detainees, the start of inclusive political dialogue that takes into account the aspirations of the Syrian people, and unrestricted access to the country for the international media.

The UN estimates that more than 9,000 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in Syria and tens of thousands displaced since the uprising against President Assad began some 15 months ago.

May 29 2012 10:10AM
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