‘West must facilitate Syria peace plan’

Lavrov said that world powers must “play the game of fulfilling the Kofi Annan plan and not the game of regime change” in Syria.

He made the remarks during a joint press conference with UK Foreign Secretary William Hague in Moscow on Monday.

“We are deeply worried that the Annan plan is being implemented unsatisfactorily.”

Meanwhile, the UK foreign secretary said there could be “chaos and civil war” if the peace plan is not implemented.

The Monday press conference in Moscow was held three days after deadly clashes broke out between Syrian forces and armed groups in the Syrian town of Houla, located in the central province of Homs and about 32 kilometers (20 miles) northwest of the provincial capital city of Homs.

Head of the UN observer mission in Syria Major General Robert Mood said in a briefing via video from Damascus to an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Sunday that UN observers in Houla estimate 108 people were killed, including 49 children and 34 women.

The fighting between Syrian forces and armed groups in Houla comes despite a ceasefire that took effect on April 12.

Reports say about 280 UN observers are currently monitoring the ceasefire, which was part of the six-point peace plan brokered by Annan in March.

Also on Monday, a Syrian official said on condition of anonymity that Annan will arrive in Damascus later in the day and will meet Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem.

The former UN chief will then meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday, the official said.

HSN/MA/HJL

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