Envoy Annan to Visit Syria 'Soon'

Kofi Annan, the special U.N.-Arab League envoy to violence-torn Syria, plans to return to Damascus "soon" to further efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis, his spokesman said on Friday.

Ahmed Fawzi said no date had been set for Annan's second trip to Syria since he was named special envoy.

A deputy is also planning a trip, he added, but owing to security risks he cannot reveal when.

"We said before that the joint special envoy is considering an invitation to visit Syria," Fawzi told reporters in Geneva.

"I can say that yes, we can expect a visit soon.

"His deputy also plans to visit Syria but I cannot disclose his arrival time or his arrival date at this time."

Annan went to Damascus on March 9-10 to meet President Bashar Assad who later agreed a six-point peace plan.

Between 250 and 270 U.N. military observers out of a planned 300 are now in Syria monitoring a cessation of hostilities that began on April 12 but has barely held with government and opposition groups continuing attacks.