UNITED NATIONS - Veteran Algerian diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon that he would do his very best while leading international efforts to broker peace in Syria’s worsening 17-month conflict. In making that pledge, Brahimi, 78, a ex-UN envoy to Afghanistan and Iraq, hinted at the immense challenges he will face in trying to promote peace in the strife-torn country. Brahimi met with Ban for the first time since agreeing last week to replace Kofi Annan. “Secretary-General, when you called me I told you that I was honoured, flattered, humbled and scared and I am still in that frame of mind,” Brahimi told Ban, when the two diplomats met in New York.