Brussels, 03/04/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 2 March, the Special Envoy in Syria, Kofi Annan, announced that the regime of Bashar al-Assad has agreed to begin implementing the peace plan before 10 April. The regime has promised to begin military disengagement “immediately”, namely “ceasing any military advances or use of heavy weapons and withdrawing from population centres” and concluding this process by 10 April. During a meeting behind closed doors of the Security Council, Annan explained that he hoped to have some precise responses from the regime very soon on other points in the plan, such as humanitarian aid, the free movement of journalists and political dialogue between the regime and opposition. Annan's deputy, Nasser Al-Qidwa, is striving to convince the armed opposition to “end its operations in the next 48 hours, following a complete cessation of hostilities by the government”. Annan has until now emphasised that there has not been any progress towards reaching a ceasefire. France, the United Kingdom and the US have been preparing an official draft Security Council declaration on the fact that the regime is prepared to military disengage before 10 April and allow for the deployment of UN observers in Syria. (CG/transl.fl)