annan plan still in place in syria

EFFORTS TO KEEP ANNAN PLAN IN PLACE HOLDING, AMIDST CONTINUING VIOLENCE

On the eve of Syria's May 7 parliamentary elections, there are now 50 UN observers on the ground in Syria, and despite continued violence in several locations over the past 48 hours, efforts to keep the Annan peace plan in place are continuing.

On May 5, observers visited the city of Douma and other parts of the Damascus suburbs, while Gen. Robert Mood of Norway, head of the observer mission, toured the city of Latakia and the northern part of Idlib province on May 4. 


Mood reported that the al-Assad government had offered his team "many facilities" to aid it in documenting and monitoring the reality of the ground. Speaking from Hama on May 3, he described observers as having a "calming effect," and that the Army appeared willing to cooperate with the truce.


The Norwegian general stressed that his mission "is open to dialogue for enhancing the credibility of our work to rebuild bridges of communication and attain the hoped-for goals, mainly bringing back security and stability in Syria." He underscored that in order for the mission to succeed, all parties must cooperate in implementing the six-point Annan plan.

While the Western media continues to beat the drum for "failure" of the Annan plan, charging that the government is responsible for disregarding the truce and initiating violence, some Western diplomats quoted in {The Egyptian Gazette} admit that their governments will have to stick with the plan for now because "they lack any viable alternatives to the Annan plan."


While "imperfect," the plan is "the only diplomatic effort that has had any impact on the 14-month-old conflict," the {Gazette} affirms.

Diplomatic efforts continue on other fronts as well. The head of the opposition Syrian National Council, Burhan Ghalioun, is in China today, until May 9, for talks with senior Foreign Ministry officials. The head of the Arab League, Nabil al-Arabi, will also begin talks with Chinese goveernment officials beginning May 7.

New fighting erupted overnight in the oil-producing province in eastern Syria, during which rebels launched rocket-propelled grenades against the provincial capital of Deir al-Zor, allegedly in response to an Army offensive against towns and villages in the border area of Iraq. Reuters admits that rebels are continuing their guerrilla attacks on military convoys and Army roadblocks. 


Anti-government forces have also staged demonstrations in Aleppo over the past 36 hours. A group identifying itself as the al-Nusra Front is posting statements to jihadist websites taking responsibility for suicide bombings of government forces April 20.