After second meeting with Syrian President Kofi Annan says it would be difficult to reach an agreement

The UN and Arab League envoy Kofi Annan said he was optimistic after a second round of talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday, but acknowledged it would be difficult to reach a deal to halt the bloodshed, Reuters reports.
"It's going to be tough. It's going to be difficult but we have to have hope," he told reporters in Damascus. "I am optimistic for several reasons," he said, referring to the general desire for peace in Syria.
Annan told reporters he gave Assad "concrete proposals" and called for an immediate halt to the killings in Syria. According to United Nations information, Assad's forces have killed 7,500 people since the beginning of the protests. Syrian authorities in turn say that 2,000 soldiers have been killed by insurgents.