Very Fragile' Syrian Cease-Fire Eroding

叙利亚活动人士报告说，政府军在炮击中部城市霍姆斯被反政府武装占据的一个地区。这是叙利亚发生的最新暴力事件。该国脆弱的停火协议正在逐渐失效。

总部位于英国的叙利亚**了望台表示，叙利亚军队在用迫击炮轰炸霍姆斯的哈地亚街区，说爆炸每5分钟发生一次。该组织还说，枪声回荡在靠近黎巴嫩边境的卡塞尔的街道，同时叙利亚政府的增援部队正在前往这里的途中。

自从联合国斡旋的停火协议上周生效后，星期五的暴力事件是最近爆发的一系列冲突中最新的一起。星期五在日内瓦，国际特使安南的发言人艾哈迈德.法齐警告说，局势正在变得更加严峻。

法齐说，停火状态“非常脆弱”。他把局势形容为“不好”。法齐还表示希望联合国观察团其他的成员尽快到位。同时，有关外交努力和增派维和人员都不足以对付叙利亚局面的担忧日益增加。

法国外长朱佩星期五重申，世界各国承担不起让安南提出的和平计划和停火发生作用而等待更长时间的代价。他警告说，叙利亚处于陷入内战的边缘。 此前否决了联合国对叙利亚政权采取更为强硬行动的中国表示，它已准备好为维持停火而作出更多的努力，说它愿意向联合国使团派遣观察员。

星期四，美国国务卿克林顿呼吁，如果叙利亚未能实施和平计划，联合国应该对叙利亚采取强硬的制裁措施。

'Very Fragile' Syrian Cease-Fire Eroding

Syrian activists report government forces are pounding a rebel-held section of the central city of Homs, the latest violence to grip a nation already losing its hold on an ever shakier cease-fire.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says Syrian forces are bombarding the Khaldiyeh neighborhood in Homs with mortar rounds, reporting explosions every five minutes. The group also says gunfire is echoing through the streets of Qusair, near the border with Lebanon and that government reinforcements are on their way to help.

Friday's violence is the latest in a series of clashes that have erupted since the United Nations-brokered truce went into effect last week. And in Geneva Friday, a spokesman for international envoy Kofi Annan warned the situation was becoming more dire.

Ahmad Fawzi called the cease-fire "very fragile," describing the situation as "not good." Fawzi also expressed hope that the remaining members of a U.N. team of monitors would soon be in place. Meanwhile, concerns that diplomatic efforts and more peacekeepers will fall short are growing.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe reiterated Friday the world cannot afford to wait much longer for the cease-fire and peace plan that Annan put forward to take root, warning Syria is on the verge of descending into civil war. China, which has blocked stronger U.N. action against the Syrian regime, said it was ready to do more to uphold the truce - saying it is willing to contribute observers to the U.N. mission.

On Thursday, U .S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for tough U.N. sanctions to be imposed on Syria if it fails to implement the peace plan.