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Syria to eliminate obstacles facing UN observers

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Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al- Moallem stressed Monday his country's resolution to eliminate all obstacles facing the work of the UN observers' mission, adding that Syria is targeted by tools that foment anarchy.

Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem (R) meets UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan in Damascus May 28, 2012. [Agencies]

Moallem's remarks were made during his meeting with visiting UN-Arab League special joint envoy Kofi Annan, during which Moallem discussed with Annan the exerted efforts to implement the UN-backed six-point peace plan, according to state-run SANA news agency.

Annan's six-point plan calls for the withdrawal of heavy weapons and troops from population centers, a daily halt in fighting for the delivery of humanitarian aid and treatment for the wounded, as well as talks between the government and opposition.

Moallem reiterated Syria's resolution to make the UN observer mission a success, and called on Annan to intensify his efforts with the countries that are working to flouting the six-point plan by providing safe havens to armed groups or arming and financing them on the ground.

For his part, Annan emphasized the international community's support for his plan and its keenness to continue coordination with the Syrian leadership, said SANA.

According to SANA, Annan lauded the Syrian government's cooperation in facilitating the implementation of the six-point plan as well as the entry of journalists to cover the work of the observers.

Annan also hailed Syria's "positive" announcement of forming a committee to investigate the Houla "massacre as this reflects the seriousness of the Syrian leadership to bring in security and stability in the country."

Annan arrived in the capital Damascus Monday to assess the implementation of his six-point peace plan, which was almost pushed to the verge of collapse after a bloody massacre that killed more than 100 people in central village of Houla Friday overnight.

Upon his arrival in Damascus, Annan said his visit comes at a " critical moment in this crisis," adding that he was horrified by the Houla massacre.

He also called "for everyone involved to help create the right context for a credible political process," making it clear that his message "is not only for the government but for everyone, every individual with a gun."

The envoy said he expect to have "serious and frank" discussion with the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Tuesday, adding that he looks forward also to speaking with a range of other people and other actors during his three-day visit to Syria.

Meanwhile, Syria's foreign ministry stressed Monday that armed terrorist group had committed massacres in central Syria two days ago and pledged that the perpetrators will not go unpunished.

In letters it sent to the UN Security Council and other human rights organizations, the ministry condemned "in the strongest terms the massacres committed by armed terrorist groups" at the Taldo and al-Shoumariya areas in central Syria during the past two days.

The letters, carried by SANA, said hundreds of gunmen gathered in a "systematic" way around the "massacre" areas with heavy weapons, including anti-tank missiles, and attacked the areas on Friday.

It said the attackers had committed atrocities against a number of families, stressing that Syria is determined to arrest the criminals and bring them to justice.

The ministry said the Syrian army had done its duty to defend themselves and unarmed innocent citizens, and clashed with those groups and was able to end this "brutal attack" after the deaths of three officers and the wounding of 16 military personnel.

It reasserted that no tank had ever entered the area and the army was in a state of self-defense and had exercised maximum restraint.