Syrian regime 'trying to kill Annan plan': opposition

TOKYO: Syria's government wants to destroy the UN-brokered peace plan aimed at ending 14 months of civil conflict, opposition leader Burhan Ghalioun told reporters in Tokyo on Friday.

"The regime is now trying to kill this (Kofi) Annan plan, and by a new technique which is terrorism," Ghalioun said, a day after suicide bombers killed at least 55 people in horrific attacks in the capital Damascus.

Condemnation came from around the world after the deadliest blasts since the uprising began, with President Bashar al-Assad's embattled regime and the opposition trading accusations of responsibility for the carnage.

Ghalioun was adamant Friday that Assad's government was behind the attacks, which also wounded nearly 400 people, and accused the authorities of colluding with outside bodies. "The regime has operated very closely with Al-Qaeda," he told reporters, adding that the bombings marked a change in tactics.

"We have to notice the timing of these bombings, the bombings started almost as soon as the regime removed heavy forces from the cities, we think there is a connection," he said.

The blasts during the morning rush hour further clouded UN-backed ceasefire brokered by special envoy Annan that has failed to take hold since it went into effect on April 12.

Russia and China, which have stymied Western efforts to heap stronger condemnation on Assad's government, joined a UN Security Council denunciation of the attacks.

Ghalioun, the president of the Syrian National Council, said the Annan plan was toothless and too easy to ignore. "If the regime fails to implement the plan, it will not get punished, and that is our concern. "Assad feels that he can run away from the plan without any consequences."

"The Annan plan is in crisis today," said Ghalioun.