Annan: Syria to honour plan

Syria’s President Bashar Al Assad has  agreed to an April 10 deadline to start implementing a peace plan proposed by  UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, the envoy told the UN Security Council on Monday. The partial implementation of his plan would include a full cessation of hostilities within 48 hours of the deadline, diplomats at a closed briefing by  Annan said. “The Syrian government is committed but we are expecting Mr Kofi Annan and some parties in the Security Council also to get the same kind of commitments from the (opposition),” Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari told reporters. “A plan wouldn’t be successful unless everybody is committed to it,” Ja’afari said. “It’s by common accord between our minister and Mr Kofi Annan,” he said when asked who suggested the April 10 deadline. Annan appealed to the 15-member council to support the deadline, the  diplomats said.