Syrian authorities accept Kofi Annan peace proposal

The Syrian government has accepted the peace plan proposed by Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan, his spokesman reported on Tuesday.

Mr. Annan sees this as “an important step” which could end the year-long violence in Syria that has killed more than 7,000 people.

Ahmad Fawzi, spokesman for the Joint Special Envoy, said Mr. Annan has written to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad urging the government to put its commitments into immediate effect.

In a statement, he said 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.”

Mr. Annan has stressed implementation will be key—not only for the Syrian people, but also for the region and the international community as a whole.

And as the Syrian government acts on its commitments, the UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy will move urgently to work with all parties to secure implementation of the plan at all levels.

Mr. Annan appealed to “key countries to support this development and help ensure its effective implementation.”

Source: UN Radio