Annan in Tehran after Damascus: A New Approach to Syria Crisis
International envoy to Syria Kofi Annan announced Monday that he reached a new political approach with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to end the crisis.
After his meeting with al-Assad, Annan declared: "We discussed the need to end the violence and ways and means of doing so. We agreed an approach which I will share with the armed opposition," UN-Arab League envoy Annan said after meeting Syria's President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Monday.
Annan said that he held constructive talks with al-Assad and discussed with him the need to end violence and how to do that.
He said that he also stressed the need to move forward with political dialogue which President al-Assad accepted, and that they discussed other issues such as the six-point plan.
According to Annan, al-Assad reiterated his government's commitment to this plan which must move forward to be implemented in a much better way than before.
Annan said that dialogue will continue on the approaches for ending violence which were discussed and which he will talk to the armed opposition about.
"There's a team on the ground which will continue to work to that effect, and that he will encourage the government and the other influential sides to assist in these efforts," he added.
Later on Monday Annan flew to Tehran for talks with Saeed Jalili, Iran's top security official, and Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi.
Annan has said Tehran has a key role to play in efforts to end the bloodshed.
For his part, the Iranian Supreme Leader's Top Advisor for International Affairs Ali Akbar Velayati stated that "Annan is unhappy with the western states' performance since they have taken moves against his Syrian peace initiative."
"Annan is not happy about the Paris meeting and the other interferences made under the name of the 'Friends of Syria'," Velayiti said.
He further noted that "enemies of the Syrian government have moved against Kofi Annan's plan and still have weapons in their hands, while the plan called for a ceasefire which was respected by the Syrian government for some time."
"The interference of the alien countries did not allow it to continue," Velayati stressed.
On Iran's stance from Syrian developments, Velayati said that "Iran is against any meddling, including political and military interference by the aliens."
Source: News Agencies, Edited by moqawama.org
Comments
- Related News
US Senate Votes 15-3 for Arming Syrian Opposition
12 years ago
