Annan urges world leaders to unite on Syria peace plan
GENEVA, June 30 (Reuters) U.N. mediator Kofi Annan warned today that the conflict in Syria would enflame the Middle East and beyond unless world powers agreed on a peace plan but the United States said foreign ministers meeting in Geneva might fail in that task.
International talks started with governments still in dispute over whether President Bashar al-Assad, reviled in the West for his assault on opponents but still supported by Russia, could have any role in a political transition.
Annan, the former U.N. chief and the special international envoy on Syria, is hoping for consensus on a plan for a unity government that would exclude controversial figures from leadership — effectively meaning Assad would step down.
"We are here to agree on guidelines and principles for a Syrian-led political transition that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people," he said in opening remarks.
"No one should be in any doubt as to the extreme dangers posed by the conflict — to Syrians, to the region, and to the world." His appeal gave a note of urgency to the need for world powers to move closer in their positions as the 16-month-old conflict in Syria deepens by the day.
Moscow, a long-time ally of Assad and an opponent of what it sees as foreign meddling in domestic affairs, objects to any solution imposed on Syria from outside. The United States and its European and Arab allies see no way ahead while power remains in Assad's hands.
Annan all but chided the world powers for failing to halt the bloodshed sooner, saying the crisis should never have reached this point.
"Either unite to secure your common interests or divide and surely fail in your own individual way. Without your unity, your common resolve and your action now ... nobody can win and everyone will lose in some way," he said.
The mood of pessimism was reinforced by a senior U.S. official who said the talks might or might not reach a deal today.
"Discussions remain challenging. We're continuing to work on this today, but we need a plan that is strong and credible. So we may get there, we may not," the official told reporters.
Even as the diplomats gathered at the U.N. complex by the shores of Lake Geneva, the Syrian army rained mortar fire on pro-opposition areas in Deir al-Zor, Homs, Idlib and the outskirts of Damascus, activists said.
Government troops were fighting rebels of the Free Syria Army at several points. Syria's border with Turkey was also tense following a Turkish military build-up in response to Syria's shooting down of a Turkish warplane last week.
More than 10,000 people have been killed since the anti-Assad uprising broke out and the past few weeks and days have been amongst the bloodiest yet.