United Nations, Rajab 8, 1433, May 29, 2012, SPA - Joint U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan arrived in Damascus Monday at what he called a “critical” moment in the Syrian crisis, following the massacre of men, women, and children in Houla two days ago. The U.N. Security Council, along with Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, condemned the killings that included 34 children under the age of 10 over the weekend, after observers from the U.N. Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) confirmed the deaths on Saturday. “I have come to Syria at a critical moment in this crisis,” Annan said in a statement upon his arrival. “This was an appalling crime and the Security Council has rightly condemned it. I urge the government to take bold steps to signal that it is serious in its intention to resolve this crisis peacefully, and for everyone involved to help create the right context for a credible political process. And this message of peace is not only for the government, but for everyone with a gun,” he added. Annan stressed that the six-point plan he put forward a few months ago, which calls for an end to violence, access for humanitarian agencies to provide relief, the release of detainees, the start of political dialogue, and international media access, should be fully implemented. --MORE 11:34 LOCAL TIME 08:34 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/1002834