Kofi Annan plan works in Syria

UN envoy Kofi Annan said Syria had claimed a partial withdrawal of troops from three cities. And the UN-Arab League envoy told the UN General Assembly that "more far-reaching action is urgently required" by President Bashar al-Assad to reach an April 10 deadline to withdraw troops and heavy weapons from protest cities. Annan said the government had told him it had started moving troops out of Idlib, Zabadani and Daraa, all key battle zones in the government assault on protesters and opposition groups. "I await further action and fuller information," he told UN envoys. "It is clear that more far-reaching action is urgently required. Immediate and verifiable steps are needed to complete implementation of commitments in the crucial days ahead." "Clearly the violence is still continuing. Alarming levels of casualties and other abuses continue to be reported daily," he added. Annan said that if the government withdraws troops and weapons from cities by April 10 he would call for a complete cessation of hostilities by 6:00 am Damascus time on April 12. He said opposition groups that his team had spoken to had "committed to call for cessation of violence once the Syrian goverment has demonstrably fulfilled its commitments." "I urge the government and the opposition commanders to issue clear instructions so that the message reaches across the country down to the fighter and soldier at the local level," he said.