Syria agrees to pullout

UNITED NATIONS – Syria told international envoy Kofi Annan that its military will withdraw troops and heavy weapons from populated areas by April 10, in what could be a first step toward ending the bloody yearlong conflict, U.N. diplomats said Monday.

The announcement came as Syrian troops hunted down activists and destroyed their homes in the country’s rebellious areas, and the United States remained skeptical of Damascus’ latest statements, pointing to previous broken promises. Britain, France, Germany and a number of other countries also questioned whether Syrian President Bashar Assad would keep his word, the diplomats said.

“We have seen commitments to end the violence followed by massive intensifications of violence,” U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice said. “So the United States, for one, would look at these commitments and say, yet again, the proof is the actions, not in the words.”

Rice said Annan told the U.N. Security Council he received a letter from Syria’s foreign minister on Sunday with the April 10 date and indicated he would have preferred the pullback to begin earlier. Annan urged the Syrian government to start the withdrawal immediately and move no further into populated areas, and “that commitment was provided,” Rice added.

Syria’s U.N. Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari said the April 10 deadline was set “by common accord” between Annan and the Syrian government.

Annan told the council that if Syria meets the April 10 deadline, and if it can be verified, then the opposition would have 48 hours to wind down its military activities so there would be a complete cessation of hostilities, the diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity because his briefing was closed.

Annan is sending a U.N. peacekeeping team and some staff to Damascus this week to continue preparations for a potential U.N. cease-fire monitoring mission.