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Russia calls on Annan to work more with Syrian opposition

11 April 2012 02:18 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Tuesday urged UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan to devote more efforts to make the Syrian opposition adhere to the cease- fire plan, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

During a telephone conversation with Annan, Lavrov said "the Syrian opposition and countries supporting it must take urgent measures to ensure a sustainable cease-fire" and called on Annan to step up efforts with them in that direction, according to a statement published on the foreign ministry’s website.

Lavrov also informed Annan on the phone about the talks with his visiting Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moallem.

"It was noted with satisfaction that the Syrian leaders are ready to continue the implementation of the peace plan and to cooperate actively with Annan’s mission," the statement said.

Meanwhile, the minister reaffirmed that Moscow backed Annan’s efforts to settle the year-long crisis in Syria and stressed that it was necessary that all parties concerned should unconditionally fulfill the plans.

Russia also saw the importance of the possible deployment of a UN monitoring mechanism in Syria.

Earlier Tuesday, Lavrov met Moallem on implementing Annan plan, calling on the Syrian government to fulfill the plan more actively.

For his part, Moallem said that the Syrian government had withdrawn its troops from some rural provinces, while the cease- fire must start simultaneously with the deployment of the international observer mission.

Annan’s six-point plan calls for the withdrawal of heavy weapons and troops from populated areas, a daily halt of fighting for the delivery of humanitarian aid and treatment of the wounded, and talks between the government and opposition.

Under the timeline agreed by the Syrian government through Annan and later endorsed by the UN Security Council, military operations by the government troops must stop by April 10. All violence is expected to be halted 48 hours later.