BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syria's main rebel commander urged Kofi Annan on Thursday to announce that his peace plan had failed to free insurgents from any commitment to a ceasefire deal, which the United States said may collapse and trigger a broader Middle East crisis.
Colonel Riad al-Asaad, who is based in Turkey, contradicted a statement by the rebels inside Syria who issued a 48-hour ultimatum on Wednesday for President Bashar al-Assad to abide by the conditions of Annan's plan.
"There is no deadline, but we want Kofi Annan to issue a declaration announcing the failure of this plan so that we would be free to carry out any military operation against the regime," Asaad told Al Jazeera television.
Annan's plan has not stemmed bloodshed in Syria and the U.S. envoy to the United Nations warned that unless the Security Council acts swiftly to pressure Syria to end its crackdown on opposition, countries may act outside of the world body.
Susan Rice outlined what she said was both a worst case and most likely scenario in which "the violence escalates, the conflict spreads and intensifies ... It involves countries in the region, it takes on increasingly sectarian forms, and we have a major crisis not only in Syria but in the region."
In that case Syria - a mainly Sunni Muslim country whose Alawite leader is allied to Shi'ite power Iran - would become "a proxy conflict with arms coming in from all sides" and world powers would consider taking unilateral actions, Rice said.
The rival statements from rebels inside and outside Syria showed once again how deep divisions run between Assad's foes, who have failed to unify either political or military operations more than 14 months after Syria's uprising first broke out.
U.N. observers on Wednesday reported the discovery of 13 bodies bound and shot in eastern Syria, adding to the world outcry over the massacre last week of 108 men, women and children in the western town of Houla. The United Nations has said the army and pro-Assad gunmen were probably responsible for the killings, an accusation that Damascus has denied.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned on Thursday that another atrocity could pitch Syria into a devastating civil war "from which the country would never recover".
A senior army commander in Israel, which seized the Golan Heights from Syria in a war 45 years ago, said the country was heading for collapse and would become a "warehouse of weapons" for Islamist militants.
Assad said rebels had so far honored their commitments to Annan's plan. But activists have reported frequent attacks by militants and army defectors on Assad's forces since the April 12 ceasefire deal.
Government forces have also bombarded towns, fired on protesters and attacked rebel strongholds, killing many hundreds of people in the last seven weeks, the activists say.
HOULA MASSACRE
Outrage at last Friday's massacre in the Houla region northwest of Homs led a range of Western countries to expel senior Syrian diplomats on Tuesday and to press Russia and China to allow tougher action by the U.N. Security Council.
Beijing said on Thursday more time should be given to allow implementation of the plan brokered by Annan, the joint United Nations and Arab League envoy for Syria.
"China believes that the situation in Syria currently is certainly very complex and serious," Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a daily news briefing.
"But at the same time, we believe that Annan's mediation efforts have been effective and we ought to have even more faith in him and give him more support," he added.
Senior Arab officials pressed China to use its influence to help stop the violence in Syria.
"We hope it will redouble (its) effort to stop the machine of violence and death and to put more pressure on the Syrian government to respect its commitments under the Annan plan," Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled al-Sabah said on the sidelines of an Arab-China cooperation forum in Tunisia.
Beijing and Moscow have both vetoed two Security Council resolutions calling for tougher action against Damascus, while stressing hopes for a political solution brokered by Annan.
Russian President Vladimir Putin flies to Berlin and Paris on Friday for talks which European leaders may hope to use to lean on Putin to loosen Moscow's strategic links to Assad.
Ban, speaking in Turkey, said Assad must respond to world opinion. "I demand that the government of Syria act on its commitments under the Annan peace plan. A united international community demands that the Syrian government act on its responsibilities to its people," he said.
Syrian state television said on Thursday 500 prisoners who had been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the uprising had been freed, two days after Annan urged Assad to take bold steps and immediate steps to rescue the plan.
Annan met Jordan's King Abdullah in Amman on Thursday to discuss the regional impact of the Syrian crisis, his office said. Lebanese sources said he would meet Lebanon's president in Beirut later in the day.
Major-General Robert Mood, Norwegian head of the observer mission, said on Wednesday the 13 corpses found in Assukar, 50 km (30 miles) east of Deir al-Zor, had their hands tied behind their backs. Some had been shot in the head from close range.
Mood called the latest killings an "appalling and inexcusable act" and appealed to all factions to end the cycle of violence. He did not apportion any blame but Syrian activists said the victims were army defectors killed by Assad's forces.
The United Nations says Assad's forces have killed more than 9,000 people since the start of the uprising, inspired by protests against autocratic leaders across the Arab world. Syria blames Islamist militants for the violence and says 2,600 soldiers and police have been killed.
The unrest has spilled over several times into neighboring Lebanon. In the latest incident, gunmen kidnapped two Lebanese farmers in the country's north and took them across the border into Syria on Wednesday, a Lebanese security source said.
(Additional reporting by Laila Bassam and Oliver Holmes in Beirut, Ben Blanchard in Beijing, Seda Sezer in Istanbul, Douglas Hamilton in Tel Aviv; Editing by Mark Heinrich)
andrew luck trent richardson robert griffin iii dontari poe space shuttle nyc monkeypox nick perry
Recovery Rejuvination Image by Flickr. com, thanks to jo- h As people grow older, they problems with health care have to make time genesee health plan to recover after applying themselves physically. Dietary inadequacies Harmful toxins Food and environment allergic reactions Sugar and caffeine Feelings and Attitude On my small website, I explore many subjects associated with health insurance and stress. Short- term health insurance care plans tend to be relatively simple to acquire. Possibly an old patient claims the experts treatment was ineffective or left her or him worse than before. Health tourism is really a centuries- old industry which has lately experienced explosive growth, and something with that keeps growing health as rising health care costs, overburdened public health care systems, elevated curiosity about alternative/ holistic medicine and fewer costly methods abroad prompt overall health searchers to visit beyond their backyard for additional affordable options. Bikram yoga involves firming lower of body muscles and encourages the development of lean muscles within our body. Safety and health Concerns Associated With Plumbing- Drainlaying Problems Our heart lies where the house is. Even though clients are important because it requires the problem of individuals health, various laws and regulations and functions of rules need to be genesee caused on these as well as their activities. The outcomes demonstrated that 80- nine percent from the 2, 131 seriously malnourished children who received the mix retrieved, in comparison to problems with health care 80- 5 % from the 800 moderately malnourished children health who also received the peanut- butter mixture. In toothpaste, the active component fluoride prevents cavities. The intake of water problems can? t ever be stressed enough. Sometimes, traction procedure helps decrease the spinal discomfort immediately. When hearing others, make an effort to place yourself in the footwear of individuals who? re speaking for you to help you better understand their situation. It is made to provide assistance to women that are pregnant and it is well recognized. If you are looking at any adverse health checking account look into the internet for the necessary info to obtain began. However because the preventative results of isoflavones are particularly significant for youthful women soy items ought to be incorporated daily to improve preventing cancer of the breast. In most cases, most of these plans tend to be more limited both in the doctors you can observe, and also the methods and remedies they can provide you with for the conditions. Many colleges offer levels in health sciences or health promotion and welfare. You will find also a number of other health advantages, that takes all of the top reasons to become supplements of flaxseed daily. Don? t depend in your major sport to help keep you fit. There has been several researches done around the impact of chocolate around the wellness and also plan the final results have proven that it could genuinely have positive impact. P- stem and take away seed products from bell pepper. An individual who weighs in at around 60kg needs about 63kg of protein daily. The stone ( kernal) from the mango fruit can be used broadly in Ayurvedic medications to treat different conditions 7. 2) Maintain an 80/ 20 approach when eating foods. Additionally, it plays a significant part of performing bodily activities effectively. The easiest method to be sure that your pregnancy is going to be included in medical health insurance would be to plan in advance, ensuring you get insurance before you decide to conceive. You will find a maximum of four health plan options which will make price comparisons for medical health insurance fast and simple. 
Denton, TX ? DL Farm and Home announces economical pet food for Farm and Ranch Owners in North Texas. Farm and Ranch Owners looking for economical pet food in North Texas are selecting DL Farm and Home. The company is well respected for economical pet food in North Texas. The team at DL Farm and Home is prepared to help horse owners find the solutions that match their needs. DL Farm and Home offers exceptional service, feed and hay in North Texas. For details on economical feed and hay in North Texas are invited to call (940) 891-0100 or visit the DL Farm and Home web site at http://www.DandLDenton.com
