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China calls on Syria to 'honour commitments'
by Staff Writers
Beijing (AFP) March 28, 2012


China on Wednesday urged Damascus to honour its "commitments" after the regime accepted a proposal crafted by Kofi Annan that pushed for an end to Syria's year-long bloody conflict.

The United Nations and Arab League special envoy said during a visit to Beijing on Tuesday that the government of President Bashar al-Assad had accepted his six-point plan, a move cautiously welcomed by Western nations.

China's foreign ministry said Annan's visit, during which he held talks with Premier Wen Jiabao on the crisis in Syria, had been a "complete success", pledging Beijing's continued support for the peace envoy's work.

"China will continue to actively coordinate with and support Mr Annan's mediation efforts and hopes the international community will create enabling conditions for that," spokesman Hong Lei told journalists at a regular briefing.

"We are happy to see the Syrian government has accepted the six-point proposal of special envoy Annan, and believe it will be conducive to the political settlement of the Syrian issue.

"We hope the Syrian government and relevant parties in Syria will honour their commitments."

Annan's plan calls for a commitment to stop all armed violence, a daily two-hour humanitarian ceasefire and media access to all areas affected by the fighting in Syria, which has killed almost 10,000 people.

It also calls for an inclusive Syrian-led political process, a right to demonstrate, and the release of people detained arbitrarily.

The proposal -- put to Assad by Annan during his visit to Damascus on March 10 and 11 -- was endorsed by the UN Security Council on March 21.

Syria's opposition factions, which agreed late Tuesday to name the Syrian National Council as their representative, have called on Assad to pull back his tanks to show he is serious about peace.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, urged Syria to back up its commitment with action and vowed to push the opposition for a clear idea of what they are working for when she attended a meeting in Turkey this weekend.

The second Friends of Syria conference -- which brings together senior Arab and Western diplomats as well as representatives of the Syrian opposition -- is due to be held in Istanbul on April 1.

Russia, which with China has drawn international criticism for vetoing two UN Security Council resolutions on the crisis in Syria, has already said it will not attend for the second time running.

And China on Wednesday also indicated it would not send a representative to the conference.

"Under the current circumstances, China does not envisage participating in the meeting," the foreign ministry said.

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Syria peace envoy Annan to brief UN
Geneva (AFP) March 28, 2012 - The UN and Arab League's envoy on Syria, Kofi Annan, will brief the Security Council next Monday after Damascus said it accepted his proposals for peace, the ex-UN chief's spokesman said.

Annan will not travel to Tehran next week, his spokesman Ahmad Fawzi told AFP Wednesday after Iran's Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi had earlier said the ex-UN chief "is probably coming to Tehran on Monday".

Annan will be "briefing the Security Council Monday by video from Geneva," said Fawzi, who added Annan would not travel to Iran next week.

Syria has accepted a proposal crafted by Annan to end the bloodshed in the country, although Western states have expressed scepticism about the Damascus regime's sincerity.

Annan's plan calls for a commitment to stop all armed violence, a daily two-hour humanitarian ceasefire and media access to areas affected by the fighting, which has killed almost 10,000 people according to monitors.

The plan also calls for an inclusive Syrian-led political process, the right to demonstrate, and the release of people detained arbitrarily.

Annan has discussed the plan in recent days with two key Syrian allies, China and Russia.

Russia urged the Syrian opposition on Wednesday to "follow the example" of the Damascus regime and support Annan's mediation efforts, while China called on both parties to honour their commitments.

Germany's foreign minister called for urgent implementation of the plan and said the regime would be judged on deeds, not words.

"The six-point plan by Kofi Annan is supported by the United Nations Security Council. It is supported by Germany," Guido Westerwelle said at a news conference with Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad.

"We haven't yet had an official response from the Syrian regime. But I want to stress that for us, it is actions, not words that count -- nor declarations of intent."

Iran's Salehi, hosting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Tehran, said that "with the mission of Mr Kofi Annan and with the support of Turkey, Arab nations and the UN we hope there will be a way out for the Syrian issue."

Iran is Syria's chief ally in the Middle East, and has provided President Bashar al-Assad's regime with political and material support as it cracks down on an uprising.

Syrian forces on Wednesday stormed a rebel bastion in the central Hama province, with at least four civilians killed in crossfire.



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WAR REPORT
Arab draft calls for Syria talks, end to violence
Baghdad (AFP) March 27, 2012
A draft resolution on Syria to be submitted to the Arab summit in Baghdad this week urges "serious national dialogue" and calls on Syria to end violence, according to a copy obtained by AFP on Tuesday. The Syria crisis, in which almost 10,000 people have died according to monitors in a bloody crackdown on a year-long uprising against President Bashar al-Assad, has loomed large in Baghdad as ... read more


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