Kofi Annan’s visit to Syria can help defuse Syria crisis

TEHRAN,March 14(MNA)--On the meetings that Kofi Annan, the UN-Arab League joint special envoy on Syria, held with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday and Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said, “After certain incidents occurred in the country of Syria and various countries made remarks on Syria’s internal developments, the proposal to dispatch Mr. Kofi Annan, as an international observer from the Arab League, was made. The first foreign meeting that Mr. Kofi Annan held after he assumed the responsibility was with Mr. (Ali Akbar) Salehi, our respected foreign minister, which was held in Geneva. “The meeting was a very good and effective meeting. Certain suggestions were made, and, in response to Mr. Kofi Annan’s request for help from Mr. Salehi and given the contacts that Mr. Salehi had made with Syrian officials, particularly Mr. Walid Muallem, the respected Syrian foreign minister, Mr. Kofi Annan made a trip to Syria. “Positive negotiations were held. We hope that Mr. Kofi Annan’s activities will be carried out independently and fairly… and will help create an atmosphere for talks between the government and the representatives of the opposition.”