Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday received UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan for a meeting in Damascus, said state news agency SANA. 

The former UN chief arrived in Syria on Monday, and expressed "horror" at the Houla massacre of more than 100 people as he began a visit aimed at salvaging his battered peace plan.

"I intend to have serious and frank discussions with President Bashar Al-Assad. I also look forward to speaking with a range of other people while I am here," Annan said on Monday.

The statement was issued upon his arrival, before he went into a meeting with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem. It said he was also set to hold discussions with civil society and opposition representatives.

In it, he urged Damascus to take "bold steps" to signal it is serious in its intention to resolve the crisis peacefully. "And this message of peace is not only for the government, but for everyone with a gun.”

"The six-point plan has to be implemented comprehensively. And this is not happening. I intend to have serious and frank discussions with President Bashar al-Assad."

The plan was supposed to begin with a ceasefire from April 12, but this has been broken daily.

Credit: -AFP/NOW Lebanon