Annan, Iran Envoy Discuss Syria Crisis

Damascus, May 30, IRNA – UN Special Envoy to Syria Kofi Annan consulted with Iran Ambassador to Syria Mohammad Reza Raoof Sheybani to find ways to solve current crisis in Syria. Both sides met in Annan's residence in Damascus on Tuesday evening and discussed the latest progress in Annan's Plan. Threats and opportunities of Annan Plan to solve Syrian crisis as well as certain efforts to foil the plan were among topics of the talks. Sheybani underlined that Iran’s policy is to support Annan plan with some reservations and added that since the beginning of the plan, violent acts have increased in Syria. The six-point plan of Kofi Annan include withdrawal of military forces and heavy arsenal from cities, establishment of ceasefire, political negotiation, dispatching humanitarian aids, release of prisoners, and issuing authorization for different media activities in Syria. Concerning kidnapped Iranian citizens in Syria, the ambassador asked Mr. Annan to put pressure on armed groups to release them promptly. He presented new information about the three Iranian drivers who have been kidnapped recently in north of Syria by armed groups and underlined necessity of international and regional efforts to release all kidnapped Iranians in Syria. Last year, 29 Iranians, including 22 pilgrims and seven engineers working in a power plant in Syria were kidnapped. 24 of them have been released in several stages, but five engineers are still in the hands of armed groups. Annan arrived in Syria on Monday for a 2-day visit and met with President Bashar al-Assad and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moalem./end