Jalili to Annan: All sides in Syrian conflict should adhere to democracy

TEHRAN, April 12 (MNA) – The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has said that all sides that are engaged in the Syrian issue should adhere to the principles of democracy. SNSC Secretary Saeed Jalili made the remarks during a meeting with Kofi Annan, the UN-Arab League joint special envoy on Syria, in Tehran on Wednesday. The Islamic Republic of Iran has always emphasized that the Syrian issue should be settled through peaceful means and measures should be taken to prevent foreign interference in Syria’s internal affairs, Jalili stated. “Iran believes that the mission of the UN envoy will be successful if it is based on the realities on the ground, and it should oblige all sides to adhere to the principles of democracy,” he added. Annan briefed the Iranian official on the measures he has taken to help defuse the crisis in Syria, noting that the ambiguities in his six-point plan needs to be cleared up. Annan has put forward a six-point peace plan for ending the one-year crisis in Syria, which calls for a UN-supervised ceasefire by all parties, the withdrawal of soldiers and heavy weapons from cities, and the delivery of humanitarian assistance. Annan, who formerly served as the former secretary general of the United Nations, also said that one of the impediments to the implementation of his plan is the fact that certain countries are seeking to change the government in Syria, which runs counter to the purpose of his mission. Annan added that he agrees with Jalili that all sides involved in the Syrian issue should respect democracy. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also held a meeting with Annan on Wednesday in Qeshm Island, which is located in the Strait of Hormuz.