News Desk: The Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan has resigned as UN-Arab League envoy, complaining that his peace plan for Syria did not receive support from the major powers.


The growing violence in Syria showed that his April peace plan did not work. Regretting over the increasing militarisation in the country, he said that his attempts to implement the six-point peace plan was hindered, which was supposed to start with a reciprocal ceasefire from April 12.


Annan said that he did not receive any support from the major powers for the peace plan. His resignation was announced by UN chief BAn Ki-moon at UN headquarters in New York.


The diplomat said that the Syrian army deployed more fighter jets, tanks and forces against the rebels around the commercial capital Aleppo despite his appeal for peace. "The increasing militarisation on the ground and the lack of unanimity in the Security Council fundamentally changed my role," he said.


However, he predicted that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has to step down "sooner or later". He did not rule out that Assad's successor will have more luck. "These crises are never static... as the situation evolves there may be other approaches," he said.


Annan urged Russia and the United States to shoulder responsibility to prevent Syria from civil war. He said that the western military would not help the country as it needs a political solution.


"Syria can be saved from the worst calamity. But this requires courage and leadership, most of all from the permanent members of the Security Council, including from Presidents Putin and Obama," he wrote.


Washington blamed Annan's resignation saying, his move highlights the failure at the United Nations Security Council of Russia and China to support meaningful resolutions against Assad that would have held Assad accountable," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.


US secretary of state Hillary Clinton said Annan had "worked tirelessly to try to build consensus in the international community, end the bloodshed, and usher in a government that would meet the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people".


Germany also criticised said Annan's decision, which was partly due to China and Russia's opposition to sanctions on the Assad regime in Syria.


China also expressed its regret over Annan's move and said that it would work for a political resolution and try to bring peace in Syria. However, Russia supported Annan's resignation.

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