Annan welcomes monitors force, says 'pivotal moment' for Syria

International mediator Kofi Annan said on Sunday that the UN Security Council's decision to deploy a further 300 ceasefire monitors in Syria marked a "pivotal moment for the stabilisation of the country".

In a statement issued in Geneva, he called on both Syrian government forces and opposition fighters to put down their weapons and work with the unarmed observers to consolidate the fragile ceasefire that took effect 10 days ago. (Reuters)