Syria Accepts Peace Plan Offered By U.N. Envoy Kofi Annan

[Redneck Democrat]

Last edited Tue Mar 27, 2012, 01:12 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: Huffington Post

BEIRUT — Syria has accepted a peace plan by U.N. envoy Kofi Annan, which includes a cease-fire by Syrian forces and a daily two-hour halt to fighting to evacuate the injured, Annan's spokesman said Tuesday.

But there was no immediate end to the bloodshed as intense clashes between Syrian troops and rebel fighters spilled across the border into Lebanon on Tuesday and heavy gunfire slammed into the rural, sparsely populated frontier area, officials said.

Syrian troops did not physically cross the border, however, according to two Lebanese security officials, one from the police and another from the military. The fighting erupted in the Mashareaa al-Qaa area, on the Syrian side.

The U.N. says more than 8,000 people have been killed in Syria's yearlong uprising. There are concerns that the conflict could cause a regional conflagration that sucks in neighboring countries.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/27/syria-peace-plan_n_1381846.html

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We'll see.....

[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[dipsydoodle]

2. Reuters link

Annan says Syria accepts U.N. peace plan.

(Reuters) - International envoy Kofi Annan said on Tuesday that Syria had accepted a U.N. peace proposal calling for a ceasefire but efforts had to be deployed to implement it.

On a two-day visit to Beijing, Annan told Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao that he faced a long and difficult task in his mission to end fighting in Syria, but global cooperation with China and other countries was the only way to do it.

"I indicated that I had received a response from the Syrian government and will be making it public today, which is positive, and we hope to work with them to translate it into action," Annan told reporters in Beijing after meeting Wen.

"I have a six-point plan which the Security Council has endorsed, dealing with issues of political discussions, withdrawal of heavy weapons and troops from population centres, humanitarian assistance being allowed in unimpeded, release of prisoners, freedom of movement and access to journalists to go in and out," he said. "So we will need to see how we move ahead and implement this agreement that they have accepted."

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/03/27/uk-annan-china-syria-idUKL3E8ER45S20120327

[mactime]

3. This morning

on NPR or BBC (don't remember since I flip though both on my way to work) there was some concern by a professor in London that there is no real timeline and that there are no plans to remove or punish the current Syrian leadership

[pinto]

6. Yeah, seems a work in progress at this point.

I can see the value, short term, of Anan's / UN's approach. Stem the killing, open access to humanitarian aid, freedom of movement, access to international journalists, etc.

[Fool Count]

10. Remove? Isn't it for the Syrian people to decide?

Punish? For what? For defending their country from foreign-backed terrorists?

[riderinthestorm]

4. This is fine IF Assad actually abides by the terms of the agreement

I'm not convinced he'll abide by the agreement. I sincerely hope he does but the Arab League monitors didn't phase him one bit, near-universal condemnation of his actions hasn't stopped or slowed him, nor has he shown any willingness to be a humanitarian (turning away the Red Crescent ambulances and other NGO medical orgs a couple weeks ago).

[lonestarnot]

5. Someone needs to tell the shooters, gunners and bomb tossers.

[tabatha]

7. U.S. ambassador says look for action, not words, from Syria

WASHINGTON, March 27 | Tue Mar 27, 2012 11:07am EDT
(Reuters) - The U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, expressed skepticism on Tuesday about reports that Syria had accepted the peace plan of U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, saying it would be best to look for action, not words from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Ford told lawmakers in Washington that he had no information beyond the press reports of the development.

"We will see now in the days ahead what exactly Assad has said," Ford, who left his post in Syria last month because of the violence there, said at a hearing on human rights in Syria.

"I have to tell you that my own experience with him is you want to see steps on the ground and not just take his word at face value," Ford said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/27/syria-annan-ford-idUSL2E8ERNK120120327

So far today, a number of dissidents have been executed, and the bombing and looting continue.

[Kelvin Mace]

8. Syria accept NON-BINDING

peace plan.

[Elric]

9. Assad probably figures he's killed off most of the leaders

and cowed the majority of the opposition so now would be a good time to play nice.