International envoy Kofi Annan says Syria and the United Nations have reached an agreement on the rules governing the U.N.'s advance team of truce monitors.

Annan's spokesman Ahmad Fawzi says the agreement covers how the team of up to 30 observers will "monitor and support a cessation of armed violence in all its forms by all parties" and implement Annan's six-point peace plan.

Fawzi said in a statement the agreement negotiated Thursday outlines the observers' functions and the "tasks and responsibilities" of the Syrian government.

He says Annan also is having "similar discussions" with opposition figures to reach agreement on "the tasks and responsibilities of armed opposition groups."

A small U.N. advance team is in Syria trying to salvage a week-old cease-fire.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

PARIS (AP) _ President Nicolas Sarkozy has called for humanitarian corridors in Syria to help those opposing Syria's President Bashar Assad.

Sarkozy also told Europe 1 radio Friday that Assad is a liar who wants to destroy the beleaguered city of Homs just like Libya's Gadhafi wanted to raze Benghazi.

Sarkozy spoke hours ahead of a meeting in Paris of the Friends of Syria group of nations.

He said that "Bashar Assad lies shamelessly. He wants to wipe Homs off the map just like (former Libyan leader Moammar) Gadhafi wanted to raze Benghazi from the map" despite a cease-fire.

Sarkozy predicted that the stance of Russia and China, which have opposed U.N. sanctions against Assad, will evolve because they "don't like to be isolated."