‘Russia working with Syria to end unrest’

“Attempts to force a solution on Syria from outside will lead only to an escalation of tension. Everything must follow from respect for Syria’s sovereignty, and violence must be stopped,” Itar-Tass news agency quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov as saying on Monday.

Gatilov said that his country is “working actively with Damascus in order to begin a political settlement process in (Syria).”

The Russian diplomat added that as part of a potential UN monitoring mission, Moscow was considering sending observers to Syria to oversee the implementation of the peace plan proposed by the joint UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.

Gatilov said “there are concrete points in (Annan’s plan), and we fully support this plan.”

Meanwhile, on March 27, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei called on the Syrian government and the foreign-backed opposition groups to honor their commitments to the UN-Arab League peace proposal, adding that Beijing believes the plan needs more time to produce concrete result.

Annan’s six-point plan calls, inter alia, for an end to violence in Syria, a two-hour humanitarian ceasefire every day, media access to troubled spots, and political dialogue between the government and the opposition.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March and many people, including security forces, have lost their lives in the violence.

The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing protesters, though Damascus blames outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

YH/MB

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