Annan admits efforts for political solution in Syria failed

The UN-Arab League special envoy to Syria Kofi Annan has acknowledged that the international community's efforts to find a political solution to the escalating violence in Syria have failed. "We have made significant efforts to resolve this situation by peaceful political methods. Obviously, we have not succeeded. And there is no guarantee that we will succeed," Annan told the French daily (Le Monde). Annan defended the unarmed observers, saying it was not their job to stop the violence, but to monitor the sides' adherence to the truce. He offered few suggestions on how the plan could be salvaged, saying that Iran "should be part of the solution" and that criticism too often focused on Russia, which has stood by the regime. Annan also said that despite Russia's influence on the decisions, made by international community towards Syria, he was not sure "Russia would determine the situation around Syria". Annan's comment comes four months after the implementation of his six-point peace which was followed by a deadly massacre in the village of Houla, as well as numerous attacks in Damascus and other Syrian regions. The idea of establishing Syrian interim government, proposed by Annan, was also rejected by Syrian opposition activists who said they would not negotiate with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's government.