Kofi Annan: Syria promises to keep cease-fire (VIDEO)

Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan says that the Syrian government will respect the planned cease-fire with rebel forces.

Annan, who is acting as the special envoy for the United Nations and the Arab League to Syria, said that the Syrian government had given him assurances that it would keep their side of the cease-fire deal, the Huffington Post reported.

"If everyone respects it I think by 6 on the morning on Thursday, we shall see improved conditions on the ground," Annan said after meeting Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi in Tehran.

Annan is in Iran, a key ally of Syria, to appeal for its help to end the violence in Syria.

According to Voice of America News, Annan said Salehi endorsed his six-point peace plan, and agreed that there could be "unimaginable consequences if any missteps occur in Syria due to its geographical location."

In Moscow, Syria's foreign minister, Walid al-Muallim, said his country was committed to the plan, and for the first time appeared to imply that Damascus would accept UN monitors, as it accepted Arab League monitors for an ultimately abortive mission last December. An advance UN party is due to deploy by April 18.

However, the Guardian reported that William Hague, UK foreign secretary, said: "There is no evidence so far that the Assad regime has any intention of adhering to any agreement it makes." If efforts failed, Hague warned, Britain was ready to return to the UN security council to call again for a united international response "to this clear threat to international peace and security".

US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice said if “Syria fails to fulfill its obligations, then the international community and the Security Council will have to decide whether to remain unified and take the next step.” According to Rice, the next step would be to increase pressure on the Assad regime through collective action. 

Annan has refused to give up on the plan despite reports from the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) that 1000 people have died in the last eight days.

According to UN officials more than 9,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising began 13 months ago.

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Below is a video purportedly taken today in Homs.