Kofi Annan blames Syrian peace plan failure on President Bashar al-Assad

UN-Arab League Joint Special Envoy for Syria (JSE) Kofi Annan, speaks during a press conference after his arrival in Damascus, Syria, Monday, May 28, 2012. / AP Photo/Bassem Tellawi

(AP) UNITED NATIONS - International envoy Kofi Annan blamed the failure of his peace plan primarily on the Syrian government Thursday and told the divided U.N. Security Council there must be "consequences" for those obstructing efforts to end the conflict.

Annan spoke amid more signs that diplomatic efforts to restore peace are floundering: U.N. observers came under fire Thursday as they tried to reach the site of the latest reported mass killing in Syria — about 80 people, including women and children who were shot or stabbed.

Annan said the time had come to step up the pressure to keep the violence from spiraling out of control. He urged the council to make clear that there will be "consequences" — usually a code words for sanctions — if his six-point peace plan is not fully implemented.

"Clearly, the time has come to determine what more can be done to secure implementation of the plan," Annan said. "We must also chart a clearer course for a peaceful transition, if we are to help the government and opposition, as well as Syrian society, to help resolve the crisis."

The U.S. and its European allies have tried unsuccessfully for months to threaten sanctions against Syria as the death toll has risen. But Russia and China, Syria's main allies, vetoed two Security Council resolutions that threatened possible sanctions, and they indicated their continuing opposition in a joint statement after a summit in Beijing on Wednesday. The statement also opposed any outside military interference or forceful imposition of "regime change" in Syria.

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Annan confirmed for the first time that Syria is not implementing his peace plan. He urged the council and the rest of the international community to unite and act immediately to intensify pressure, especially on President Bashar Assad's government.

Otherwise, he warned that Syria will likely face a future of "brutal repression, massacres, sectarian violence, and even all-out civil war" in which "all Syrians will lose."

Annan said the international community had united behind his plan "but it now must take that unity to a new level" and "act as one."

After months of acrimonious debate and finger-pointing, the Annan plan was the first international measure that won support from Russia and China as well as the U.S. and Europe. But in the West, there is growing dismay at its unraveling, and the potential for a spillover across the region.

Annan, the joint U.N.-Arab League envoy, stressed that "individual actions or interventions will not resolve the crisis" — an apparent reference to opposition fighters and the countries providing them with arms and financial support.

"If we genuinely unite behind one process, and act and speak with one voice, I believe it is still possible to avert the worst and enable Syria to emerge from this crisis," he said.

In his open briefing to the U.N. General Assembly earlier Thursday, Annan said he told Assad nine days ago in Damascus that he wasn't implementing the peace plan and strongly urged him "to take bold and visible steps to now radically change his military posture."

Annan said Assad called militants the main obstacle, but he told diplomats from the U.N.'s 193 member states that while all parties must cease violence, "equally clearly the first responsibility lies with the government."

Since his visit, Annan said "shelling of cities has intensified, government-backed militia seem to have free rein with appalling consequences ... and President Assad has not indicated a change of course."

Syria's U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari insisted, however, that "the government of Syria has spared no efforts to implement its part of the Kofi Annan plan." He said an unjustifiable massacre is taking place in his country but insisted the government is not responsible.

Against the backdrop of the new massacre in Syria, U.N. diplomats had expected Annan to propose tasking a new "contact group" of world powers and key regional players, including Iran, to come up with a strategy to end the conflict.

But diplomats at the closed door Security Council meeting said he did not do so, focusing instead on the council itself and its need to unite.

The violence in Syria has grown increasingly chaotic in recent months, and it is difficult to assign blame for much of the bloodshed. The government restricts journalists from moving freely, making it nearly impossible to independently verify accounts from either side. The opposition blames government forces and militias that support them known as shabihas while the government blames rebels and "armed terrorist groups."

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[sjc_1]

Bashar Assad is a butcher and should be put down like the evil dog that he is. Send in a hit squad to finish him immediately.

[samXXkiley]

coucou,
an admission of failure which comes late on the part of Kofi Annan, Syrian people have paid full price for this plan. but I'm sure that the Arabe League and the UN have another plan, in this case a question arises : what will the price to pay par the Syrian people ?
"au revoir"

[fiddlestickawshucks]

Exactly what time did Annan come to this STUNNING conclusion.??

[usunus]

Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon must realize that by grossly misusing the UN mandate on Libya the UNSC is stuck in the present impasse.It is futile to blame Bashar Assad alone.Are the rebels ready for talks with Bashar under Kofi's peace plan ?Like Hillary Clinton they are bent on regime change than anything else.

[formerlyluvnut]

As with ANY tyrant, all we, or anyone, has to do is send in a sniper with some intelligence (info) and cap him. Just like WW1, WW2, VietNam, etc etc etc and end the problem, avoiding a war and saving countless lives. But no one will do that. It's called "population control".