Annan 'horrified' by massacre

International mediator Kofi Annan said on Monday he was "shocked and horrified" by the killings in the Syrian town of Houla and urged the Syrian government to take bold steps to show it was serious about reaching a peaceful solution to the country's crisis.

Speaking shortly after arriving in Damascus, Annan said he expected to have "serious and frank discussions" with President Bashar Assad. The two men are due to meet on Tuesday, according to the Syrian Foreign Ministry.

Annan said the killing of 108 people in Houla was "an appalling crime, and the (UN) Security Council has rightly condemned it".

"I urge the (Syrian) government to take bold steps to signal that it is serious in its intention to resolve this crisis peacefully, and for everyone involved to help create the right context for a credible political process," Annan told reporters on his arrival in Damascus.

"And this message of peace is not only for the government, but for everyone with a gun."

Annan brokered an April 12 ceasefire agreement, part of a broader six-point plan aimed at ending the bloodshed. "The six-point plan has to be implemented comprehensively, and this is not happening," he said.

Reuters