Note to correspondents - Joint Special Envoy for Syria Kofi Annan - transcript of press conference after talks with Acting Prime Minister Besir Atalay of Turkey

Thank you very much Mr. Acting Prime Minister, it’s always a pleasure to be back in Turkey, even though I wish it had been under more pleasant occasion. I want to thank the government for facilitating my visit to the camps and the team that has been working with us has been exemplary in taking us around. I would also want to thank the government for its solidarity and generosity in receiving so many refugees who have been forced to flee their homes and come here. I have visited seen many refugee camps and this is one of the better ones I have seen. On behalf of the refugees and myself I want to say thank you very much. I have also had the chance to meet refugee families, men and women who have been uprooted from their homes and are now here  -  I hope not for long. But to hear their stories, to hear how they came across, how they were shot at, some with their children - it was heart wrenching, but I hope that their courage strength and patience would pay off soon when we are able to work with everyone to bring about peace so they can go home. We are not there yet. We have some way to go. but I am happy with what the government of turkey has done. When one considers the recent increase in refugee flows. From Syria to turkey it becomes obvious that there is escalation in Syria in terms of their military activities -  or something is going wrong,  otherwise no one will be able to explain the sudden jump in numbers [of people] crossing to come here.  And this is one of the reasons why we need to maintain our efforts, efforts to stop the killing, to stop the violence and ensure that the government allows access for humanitarian workers to do their work and get everybody to the table to discuss the future of Syria in a peaceful manner. When I first took this job I said my main concern was the people, the welfare of the people of Syria. And I appeal to everyone that should be our major concern. We should put the people at the centre of everything we do, and think of their wellbeing and their welfare. This has gone on for too long and it is time that the violence stop, time to stop the guns and time the military went back to their barracks,. And this is one of the reasons why in the plan we really stress the question of stopping the violence. I had hoped that by now we would have been much further ahead along the road with the government of Syria honouring its commitment and all the parties beginning to take steps to end all violence, violence of all types, so that by 6 o’ clock on the morning on the 12th of April we will have cessation of all hostilities. So let me again appeal to the Syrian  government and the Syrian parties to cease violence in accordance with the plan and I believe  there should be no preconditions for stopping violence - that is something we need to do for the people, and for the country …. And I think when the Security Council takes up the issue later on today it will come to the same conclusion that what is required is an end to the violence, unimpeded access to humanitarian workers and eventually a return to the table. We still have time between now and the 12th to stop the violence. And I appeal to all concerned, the government in the first place, and the opposition forces. Thank you very much I think we will take some questions. Q (Cumhuriet): How do you see the turkey position on your plan …? Some say your plan is not working … KA: I think you place me in awkward position – to talk about the Turkish government’s attitude to my plan when I’m sitting with the acting Prime Minster of Turkey. Let me say that the plan has been endorsed by the UN General Assembly, and by the Security Council, and obviously Turkey as a member of that organization has also endorsed it and in my own contacts with them they have not questioned the plan. They have questioned whether the party or principle party will implement the plan. I think on the question of whether the plan is succeeding or failing, I believe it’s a bit too early to say that the plan has failed. The plan is still on the table. And is a plan we are all fighting to implement; is a plan the Council has endorsed, a plan the Syrians have endorsed and from the comments made by the opposition they are also prepared to go along with it if the government meets its commitments to pull the troops out. And so I think the plan is very much alive and if you want to take it off the table what would you replace it with? Q (CNN): You said that there is either increase of military activity or something is going wrong. Last  week your spokesman said that there was partial withdrawal from Zabadani, Idlib, Deraa and you were going to double check on that. Has there been any evidence whatsoever that some kind of withdrawal did take place? Evidence of withdrawal from these or any other towns? KA: We have received periodic reports from the government telling us about military activities in conformity with the plan. They have indicated there have been withdrawals from the places you mentioned. I’m also submitting a report to the council today, sharing with them the information I had received from the government, but also indicating that from other sources and our own intelligence, and we see that there are movements towards other areas which have not previously been targets and that there is rolling military action, which we believe should stop.  We are not on the ground yet. One of the things we are discussing is the deployment of a UN monitoring mission that will monitor and supervise the cessation of violence. And that is also something that is before the Council and that will give us better capacity to monitor, observe and report. Q: Role of china? KA First of all I think the plan has not been implemented according to  the schedule that we laid out in the plan, but it does not mean that it cannot be implemented. That is why we must maintain the pressure, and if the will is there, we can still get cessation of hostilities by the 12th. So what I would do is appeal to all governments, appeal to all members of the SC, to work together to sustain the pressure on the Syrian government and the parties to honour their obligations. With regards to the role of China – as you know I was in China just about a week ago, and met the Prime Minster and we discussed this issue. They are solidly behind the plan. And they have urged the Syrian government and the opposition to honour their commitments and in fact they issued a statement, I think yesterday or the day before reaffirming its position and I think China can use its influence and its membership of the Council to press for the implementation of the plan. And also the Russian President said this may be the only chance for Syria to resolve this issue peacefully and avoid a bloody civil war.