Syria: Bashar al-Assad’s UN envoy pledge

Syria’s president promised to do all he can to ensure UN envoy Kofi Annan’s peace plan for his country succeeds last night.

But Bashar al-Assad demanded Mr Annan secure a commitment from his opponents to halt violence even as rebels carried out a string of bold attacks, killing two army colonels and kidnapping a high-ranking pilot. The opposition has cautiously welcomed Mr Annan’s six-point plan, which calls for the regime to agree a ceasefire. But the opposition doubts Assad will carry it out, believing he has accepted the plan just to win time while his forces try to crush the uprising. Armed rebels are unlikely to stop fighting unless offensives by security forces halt.