Annan peace plan “last hope” - Friends of Syria

PanARMENIAN.Net - Major international powers meeting in Paris on Thursday, April 19 called a UN-backed peace plan the "last hope" to resolve the Syrian crisis and said they would do all they could to help it succeed, according to draft conclusions obtained by Reuters, the news agency said.

"Every day that passes means tens of new Syrian civilian deaths," the statement said. "It is not time to prevaricate. It is time to act. Though fragile, the (Kofi) Annan mission represents a last hope."

The meeting resolved that the Friends of Syria - which include France, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Qatar - would do everything to ensure the Arab League-UN plan succeeded. "If this were not to happen ... the UN Security Council and international community would have to look at other options," the statement said.

The group said it wanted the UN observers in Syria to be given all the "necessary means" to complete their mission including having all modern equipment that would enable them to ensure efficient surveillance.

The 14 nations said they were concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation and its impact on neighboring countries and were committed to providing humanitarian aid in all forms.