In my meeting with President Assad, I conveyed in frank terms the grave concern of the international community about the violence in Syria, including the recent shocking events in Houleh. I should note that he condemned the killings, too.

The Security Council has made clear the need for these killings to be investigated and for those responsible to be held accountable. I also note that the Government of Syria is organizing its own investigations and that is very encouraging.

In my meeting with President Assad, I expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the Syrian Government, which enabled the UN to deploy an observer mission to Syria, quickly.

However, I shared with President Assad my assessment that the six point plan is not being implemented as it must be.

We are at a tipping point. The Syrian people do not want the future to be one of bloodshed and division. Yet the killings continue and the abuses are still with us today.

As I reminded the President, the international community will soon be reviewing the situation.

I appealed to him for bold steps now – not tomorrow, now – to create momentum for the implementation of the plan.

This means that the Government, and all Government-backed militias, could stop all military operations and show maximum restraint. I appealed to the President as the government and stronger partner in this conflict to be bold for the Syrian people.

The violence has stopped. We all remember the violence stopped before, on the 12 of April, there was calm. There is no reason it cannot stop again. Both sides stopped the 12 of April and it can be done again. What is required is the will and determination and concern for the Syrian people.

I also appeal to the armed opposition to cease acts of violence.

And I also ask all States with influence to impress upon the Government and all parties the need for a cessation of violence in all its forms – including the continuing human rights abuses.

I also strongly appealed to the President to exercise his power and release detainees. It is also essential that access is granted to all detainees and places of detention.

In addition, President Assad and I agreed on the importance of humanitarian aid flowing to all parts of the country, including unfettered access for the UN and aid agencies.

I urged the President to respect freedom of peaceful protest, and to ensure that people are allowed to voice their views without fear.

I noted that more journalists, more foreign journalists, are gaining visas to enter Syria, and encouraged the President to continue along this path and further open up.

Let me stress once again: the violence must stop and the six point plan must be implemented. I need the President to act now. I need other parties to do their part.

Let me finish with a message to all Syrians: I know that you want a peaceful future. We must not let the bitterness and bloodshed consume the country.

For the sake of Syria, and for the region, we must end this violence and begin to restore hope in a political transition to a democratic future – a future in which all communities have their place. I am totally committed to this cause and I am sure you all are.

Thank you. I will now take your questions.

Question: Can you please tell us how Mr. Assad reacted to your basic reiteration of your six-point plan and how do you judge the decision of a large number of European countries to expel the Syrian ambassador today?

Joint Special Envoy: As I said we had a frank discussion. I didn’t expect him to give me answers on the spot, but I hope he is considering them, he took them on board, and I hope we will see some action soon. Obviously he will need to consult and move forward with it, but he seemed open and I would hope we will see results. It is not for me; it is for his people and his country, I hope as a leader he will act. On the European issue, it is a sovereign decision that they have taken but obviously it shows the grave concern in the international community regarding the massacre in Houleh.

Question: If the six-point plan is not implemented Sir, what do you predict for the future of Syria, especially on a day when five countries have taken action against Syrian diplomats and also in the light of sanctions imposed on the Syrian people?

Joint Special Envoy: If the plan is not implemented, I would worry for the future of Syria, I would worry about stability in the country. As we see around us there is lots of violence and we need to create an avenue to bring people together and lead them to the table. The six-point plan in its essence is a political proposal. It is a plan that will pacify the environment, create the right atmosphere for political negotiations and I hope we will still work hard to get that done. If we do not, may God help us.

Question: After what happened in Houleh, many people feel there is a turning point in the situation Syria. From your meeting with President Assad today, how far do you feel the Syrian Government is willing to commit itself to the six-point plan?

Joint Special Envoy: I do not want to speak for the Syrian Government. I hope after our meetings, they would also make their views known and demonstrate their answer and commitments through their actions. And I urge them very frankly to move ahead and work with us on implementing the six-point plan. And there are parts of the plan were the Government can act quickly and has the authority to do so.

Question: I am asking about the expelling of the Ambassadors today, does it help your mission? Also some countries expressed support for the terrorist groups. Are you done anything to prevent these countries from doing that?

Joint Special Envoy: Obviously, as someone who believes we should talk to resolve conflicts, I would prefer a situation where everybody is talking to each other to find a solution. But these governments have decided that events have taken place in this country and they have to register their protest and their disapproval, and they chose asking for the withdrawal of the Syrian diplomats as a way of doing it. As I said [in response] to the earlier question, it is their sovereign decision to do so. On the question of the violence in the country and terrorist attacks and all that, we are in touch with everybody. We have contacts with the armed opposition and the opposition, and I have contacts with governments around the world who have influence on both sides to use their influence to pull back the groups from the violent acts.

Question: Sir, have you exerted any efforts to see that the Lebanese hostages are released?

Joint Special Envoy: I have spoken to some of those involved. I have had discussions here with the government and also with the Turkish authorities, and I will be in Lebanon soon and will have the chance to discuss that as well.

Question: Today our correspondent in Deir Ez Zor was accompanying and filming the UN Observers as they were identifying some dead bodies, when he [the correspondent] was kidnapped by some armed men. The bodies are now in his car and he is still with the armed men. He told them that he was associated with the Observers, but the Observers denied this and said that he was not with them.

Joint Special Envoy: I was not there, I cannot deal with it; this is something you should report. UNSMIS are here; they have heard the question and the complaint, and I would urge you at the end of this press conference to see the UNSMIS officials and they will discuss that with you.

Question: Ahmad Fawzi said that you asked President Assad to take bold steps to implement the six-point plan and that you were also concerned about the situation in Syria. On the other hand, President Assad has said that the crux of the problem in Syria is the terrorist acts and the smuggling of arms across borders to the armed opposition or to the militants. Is there a difference of opinion between the two of you?

Joint Special Envoy: The President indeed did say that to me. When you look at the situation on the ground, in reality you have several actors and people on the ground. We have the Government forces, we have the opposition armed groups and there are terrorist activities which we all see. But I think, we believe, that to bring peace to Syria the Government and the opposition armed forces and whoever is fighting on the other side – yesterday I used a phrase that when we talk of peace, we are not giving a message of peace only to the Government side or to the armed opposition; it is to everyone with a gun. Everyone with a gun must understand that the people of Syria want peace and eventually we will need to find a political way out without our guns. But the way the six-point plan is elaborated, indicates that we see two sides. And we have asked the Government, as a bigger partner, as a more responsible party, to take certain bold steps to be able to encourage confidence and momentum for the others. That was the basis of the six-point plan and we are encouraging its implementation.

Question: I am Russian living in Syria and reporting for various Russian online sites. What is happening in Syria reminds me of what happened in Yugoslavia that led to its division. We have sources that tell us that the Pentagon is preparing for war. If that happens, what do we do? What do Syrians do and what does the Government do?

Joint Special Envoy: First of all, I have no information that the Pentagon is preparing for war. And by implication you think we will repeat what happened in Yugoslavia, I have no indications of that. What I would insist on is that we all take steps to help end this violence. Yes the Government and the other parties with guns have a responsibility. But let me say that we as citizens and as individuals are not entirely helpless either. I know it is stressful, there are lots of fears and threats, but people can find ways and means of making their feelings known. Of getting the message around that we do not accept this; this is enough, no more violence, no more. You can play a role in a way that perhaps you cannot imagine, but people and the population do have lots of power and working together can do a lot.

Question: What is the most difficult thing to implement in the six-point plan? We notice that all parties say they are committed to your plan, but actually their actions are different?

Joint Special Envoy: This is why I am saying: words are wonderful, but action is better. What is important is demonstrate through action a real commitment to the plan and this is what the international community is asking for now: action, not words, because as I said, some of these points can be done very easily. Yes, if you take the question of stopping the violence, one needs both sides to sort of come together. I mean if the Government moves, the other side has to move and we are encouraging everyone to commit to actually doing it. But on some of the others, decisions can be taken and it can be done. So what we want is action not just vocal commitment to the plan.

Question: You were in contact with all sides to stop terrorist acts in Syria. But we still see these terrorist acts and the Syrian people are paying a heavy price. What are you doing to stop these countries and limit their ability to supply weapons?

Joint Special Envoy: First of all, as the joint envoy for the UN and the Arab League, my mandate is clear. My mandate is for us to work with the Syrians and all concerned to find a peaceful solution. And therefore I am not one who will encourage or promote militarization of the conflict and the UN is not in favour of further militarization of the conflict.

Question: What do you say about reports that residents of Houleh tried to contact the UN observers on the night of the massacre and that the UN did nothing to contact them?

Joint Special Envoy: I do not think I can answer this question. This is news to me and I would give you the same advice that I gave your colleague: UNSMIS is here, they heard your question and you should follow up with them after the press conference.

Question: Violence has increased in Syria despite your mission. We are seeing acts of terrorism. How do you evaluate your mission in this light? Do you think it will succeed?

Joint Special Envoy: First of all, let me say that the monitors are not independent actors. They are here to help the Syrian people. And we are all here because we share the pain of the Syrian people. We put you welfare at the centre of everything that we do. At the end of the day, I think we should all be clear: Those who can end the conflict are the protagonists. We have indicated the actions the Government can take and the six-point plan makes it very clear. We have also indicated the actions we expect the opposition and the armed groups to take. We have also appealed to Governments around the world not to further militarize this process. The observers are here to help. If you wish, the UN is here offering a ladder for everyone to climb down and focus on the needs of the Syrian people; to pull the situation back from the brink. They are not armed. You have seen the weapons the others have. How would one expect 300 unarmed men to stop the conflict? I get very distressed when I read in the press that the monitors have not stopped the war; that the monitors have failed. They did not come here to take on the fighters. They came to offer an opportunity, an opportunity and for people to make a choice: to accept the cessation of the violence and go through the six-point plan leading to a political settlement, political transition, and I hope this chance will be taken. Pointing fingers at the monitors is the wrong thing to do. And pointing fingers always at outsiders, yes they are involved, but there are measures that we can also take at home, the Government can take to really try and end the situation. I am not saying this because they are my monitors. Even if they were not, I would have made the same argument for them.

Question: Mr. Annan, is there any plan to increase the number of Observers and what about the logistics support for them. Yesterday, even some Syrian parties asked to withdraw this mission and to announce its failure?

Joint Special Envoy: Let me say that from the answer I gave to the previous question, you will understand what I am going to say. I don’t think the solution is more monitors. The solution is people acting on an agreement they have signed on to; people implementing the six-point plan; people deciding: we love our country, we love our people and we are not going to kill each other and that the bloodshed must stop. That is where and how we end it. They can do it; it is not the monitors. And those who believe the monitors have failed, I would suggest it is a bit hasty, they just got here. And they can do even more if the parties cooperate with them.

Question: We have been at the entrance of Houleh and we could see the situation there and we also know that the people who are inside are having a really bad time. Did you get any compromise from both or three sides to stop the killing, to stop the bad situation there and to get some help to the people over there?

Joint Special Envoy: As I said, I discussed it intensively with the Foreign Minister and with the President who are doing their own investigation and as they are saying: ‘They are our people’ and they are also concerned about them. And we discussed the question of humanitarian assistance, getting access to everyone in need, and making sure it reaches everyone. And I would be surprised if they are not taking measures to make sure those in Houleh get the assistance they need.

Question: During the meeting with Syrian officials have you agreed on a new timetable for the implementation of your plan?

Joint Special Envoy: Not specifically, we did not agree on a specific timetable, but I made it clear that it is not an open ended process and that time is coming, sooner rather than later, when the international community will need to make an assessment as to how things are going and what further actions or activities may be necessary. Thank you.