The deeply divided 15-member council, however, has failed to take action over the Syria’s 18-month conflict which has left 2.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance and more than 200,000 refugees as Russia and China have vetoed three resolutions on Syria since the beginning of the uprising against Assad’s rule.

The meeting will also be attended by ministers from Syria’s neighbours: Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan. However,  less than half the council members are sending ministers, and of the permanent members – the US, China, Russia, Britain and France – only the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, and his British counterpart, William Hague, will attend, according to Reuters.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, who will chair the UN session as France heads the Council in August, said Wednesday the issue of buffer zones would be brought up, even if “it is very complicated.”

“Talk of buffer zones firstly is not on the table and secondly it is an unrealistic idea by hostile countries and the enemies of Syria,” said Assad, speaking Wednesday in interview with pro-government Adounnia TV channel.

Mr. Assad’s comments, made in an interview with pro-government Adounnia TV, come amid a renewed interest in the international community in creating a “buffer zone” inside Syria.

Turkey has also floated the idea of creating buffer zones within Syria to protect the displaced Syrians in the country.

The interview with Addounia TV was the second time Assad has made a public appearance on television this month after a six-week absence in the wake of the July bombing that killed some of his top regime members.

As declared, the EU remains deeply concerned about the spill-over effects of the Syrian crisis in neighbouring countries in terms of security and stability. It calls on the Syrian regime to respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of neighbouring countries. The regime’s brutality has had tragic effects in Syria and serious repercussions in neighbouring countries.

The announcement wrote: “The European Union recalls its full support to the Joint UN-League of Arab States Special Envoy Kofi Annan’s mission and his six point Plan that must be implemented. It welcomes the outcome of the Action Group meeting in Geneva on 30 June 2012 and in particular the call for the establishment of a transitional governing body with full executive powers made up of opposition and government representatives and formed by mutual consent. The EU encourages Kofi Annan to continue working on the implementation of this transition plan, including with the Action Group, and urges all parties to support these efforts.

The EU also welcomes the outcome of the third meeting of the Group of Friends of Syrian people on 6 July in Paris that has gathered more than 100 countries and organisations and showed the growing consensus of the international community in favour of a democratic transition in Syria and looks forward to the convening of the next meeting of the Group.

The EU underlines that those whose presence would undermine the transition should be excluded and that President Assad, in this regard, has no place in the future of Syria.

The EU deeply regrets that the UNSC has not been able to agree to a UNSC resolution which would have endorsed the communiqué of the Action Group and foreseen measures to enforce compliance with the Annan Plan under Article 41 of the UN Chapter. The EU regrets that the UNSC has thus failed to uphold its responsibilities and to back the Joint Special Envoy’s efforts. The EU calls for united action by all members of the UNSC, including Russia and China, to add more robust and effective pressure and ensure that there will be serious consequences for continued non compliance with its previous decisions.

The EU welcomes the decision to renew the mandate of UNSMIS for a final period of 30 days, taking into account the UN Secretary-General’s recommendations to reconfigure the Mission and taking into consideration the operational implications of the increasingly dangerous security situation in Syria. The EU recalls that the Syrian authorities are responsible for ensuring the security and safety of the mission. The EU is ready to provide the needed support to guarantee the success of the supervision mission.

The EU remains deeply concerned about the human rights situation and breaches of international humanitarian law in Syria. The systematic and widespread human rights violations and abuses committed by the regime demonstrates its outright contempt for human rights. The EU is also concerned about recent reports of alleged use of cluster munitions against civilians. The EU reaffirms its support to the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria and its investigations into alleged violations of international human rights law with a view to hold to account those responsible for such violations, including for those that may amount to crimes against humanity. The EU recalls that all those responsible for widespread, systematic and gross human rights violations must be held accountable. The EU welcomes the adoption of the UN Human Rights Council resolution adopted on 6 July on the human rights situation in Syria.”

“The Arab League will assign its Arab representatives in the U.N. Security Council in the meeting set to take place May 5 to ask the Security Council to protect Syrian civilians immediately,” the Arab League said in a final statement after a meeting in Cairo.

The Arab states were pushed to take action as the U.N. secretary general said 
was “gravely alarmed” by reports of shelling of populated areas in Syria, in a statement released after the death of scores of people in a massive explosion in the protest city of Hama.

The comments come as media reports quoted activists as saying that up to 70 people have been killed in an attack on a house in the city of Hama. Meanwhile, state media said 16 people died in the blast in a house used as a bomb factory by ‘armed terrorist groups.’

More than 9,000 people have died since a revolt erupted against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in March last year, the United Nations says, while activist groups put the figure at more than 11,100.

Under strong international pressure, Assad’s government has agreed a troop withdrawal from cities as part of a six-point peace plan for Syria agreed with U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan.

The latest violence takes place less than a week after the Security Council authorized the establishment of the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS), made up of up to 300 unarmed military observers and deployed for an initial period of 90 days,  to monitor the cessation of violence.

The observers are also tasked with monitoring and supporting the full implementation of a six-point peace plan, put forward by the Joint Special Envoy of the UN and the League of Arab States for Syria, Kofi Annan.

U.S. ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice said the Security Council must be ready to order sanctions if Syria flouts commitments to halt violence.

“We condemn what remains the government’s refusal to abide by its commitments, its continued intense use of heavy weaponry in Hama and elsewhere, which continues to result in large numbers of civilian deaths every day,” according to Al arabiya.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, France considered the prospect of military intervention if Annan’s peace plan fails.

Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said the international community would have to push for a Chapter Seven resolution, which authorizes military force.

Fawzi also said that U.N. member states were being asked to provide troops to a ceasefire monitoring mission, to be deployed in Syria after April 10.

While briefing the UNSC on Monday about the progress made in his Syria mission, Annan is said to have asked the council for its backing for the deadline set for Syria to begin putting into practice the peace plan and enforce a full ceasefire by April 12.

An advance team sent by Annan was due to arrive in Damascus on Thursday to begin discussing their deployment, which requires a U.N. Security Council resolution, according to Reuters.

Annan expects both the Syrian government and the opposition to fully implement a ceasefire agreement by Apr. 12, Fawzi said.

His statement came as activists said Syrian troops were attacking a suburb of the capital in what they described as one of the most violent campaigns since the year-old uprising began.

Meanwhile, Annan will also visit Tehran On April 11, where he is to seek support from the Syrian ally for his peace plan.

 Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, declared Thursday that whatever steps related to the Syrian issue should be directed as to contribute to making a success of the UN Envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan’s plan.

The United States has expressed doubts President Bashar al Assad will comply with a peace plan deadline as Syrian forces hit rebel bastions despite a truce pledge.