Syrian President Bashar al-Assad today announced a May 7 parliamentary election, even as violence raged in flashpoint provinces and 22 regime troops were killed in ambushes by rebel fighters.
The announcement came as UN-Arab League peace envoy Kofi Annan said he was expecting a response from Assad today to "concrete proposals" to halt Syria's bloodshed and Russia stepped in with a proposal for international observers.
State news agency SANA said Assad, who has proposed a programme of reforms in the face of an unprecedented revolt, has set May 7 as the date for legislative elections under a new constitution passed in a February referendum.
The elections would be the third time a legislative vote has taken place in Syria since Assad came to power in 2000, but the first under a multi-party system as authorised under the new law.
Annan, speaking to reporters in Ankara after meeting with Syria's opposition, said he was "expecting to hear from Syrian authorities today since I left some concrete proposals for them to consider."
He was referring to weekend meetings in Damascus with Assad, after which he had expressed optimism the crisis could be resolved peacefully but warned the situation in Syria was at a "dangerous" level.
"Once I receive their answer we will know how to react," the former UN chief said. "Let me say that the killings and the violence must cease."
Annan said he had a "useful meeting" in Ankara with six representatives of the opposition Syrian National Council headed by Burhan Ghalioun, whom he said had "promised their full cooperation."
Ghalioun, whose group last week rejected a call from Annan for dialogue with Assad's regime, said the opposition's priority was for a peaceful outcome to the year-long conflict.