UN Boss Warns Syria Of 'Dangerous Trajectory'

The United Nations chief has urged Syria's president to immediately implement an agreed peace plan, warning that the country is on a "dangerous trajectory" with risks for the entire region.

Secretary general Ban Ki Moon , speaking at an Arab League summit in Baghdad, said President Bashar Assad had to prove he was ready to take action on the six-point plan, put forward by envoy Kofi Annan and accepted by the Syrian government.

"The world is waiting for commitments to be translated into action. The key here is implementation, there is no time to waste," he said.

Mr Annan's proposals endorsed by the Arab League include a ceasefire, the withdrawal of heavy weapons from towns and cities and access for humanitarian aid.

The plan - unlike an earlier league initiative - does not include a demand for Mr Assad to step down and delegate power to his deputies.

Foreign ministers from 10 of the 22 members of the Arab League gathered to discuss the crisis against a backdrop of continuing violence across Syria.

Syrian activists claim at least 30 people were killed on Thursday, including 10 in the Damascus suburbs of Duma and Harasta.

Residents in the northern city of Idlib said government forces were firing from helicopters, while the last rebel stronghold of Saraqeb has apparently been overrun .

The Syrian regime has rejected any official Arab League involvement in peace negotiations but has agreed to liaise with Mr Annan - who is a joint envoy for the League and the UN .

Diplomats say Mr Annan's plan could eventually involve a team of UN observers being sent to Syria to monitor any ceasefire - a move that would require UN Security Council approval.

Russia and China have so far blocked its attempts to intervene in the crisis.

It is the first Arab summit in the Iraqi capital for more than two decades. Hosted by the Shia Prime Minister Nuri al Maliki , the meeting marks Iraq's formal return to the diplomatic stage.

:: A rocket exploded near the Iranian embassy on the edge of Baghdad's fortified Green Zone, where the heads of state had gathered, despite a security clampdown involving 100,000 extra security forces, street closures and vehicle curfews.