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Syria nears Arab League deadline for end to crackdown Arab League deadline for Syria action passes
(about 14 hours later)
Violence has been continuing in Syria, as a deadline set by the Arab League approaches for the government to end its crackdown on protesters. A deadline for Syria to accept a peace plan put together by the Arab League has passed, at the end of a day marked by more violent deaths.
A Syrian diplomatic source said Damascus would accept observers to monitor implementation of a peace deal, but with conditions. Syria has agreed in principle to accept the peace plan, but critics accuse it of stalling for time.
The head of the Arab League said it was studying a letter from Syria seeking changes to its proposed observer mission. In an interview with the UK's Sunday Times, President Bashar al-Assad was defiant, saying he would "not bow down" in the face of foreign pressure.
The Arab League has suspended Syria. At least 24 people were killed in clashes on Saturday, said activists.
It set a deadline of midnight local time (22:00 GMT on Saturday) for the government to stop its bloody suppression of anti-government protests, or face sanctions. The UN says more than 3,500 people have died in Syria's repression of the pro-democracy uprising since March, while many others have disappeared or been jailed.
'Smaller delegation' There has been mounting international pressure on Syria to end its crackdown. The Arab League has suspended Syria and given it an ultimatum to accept a plan to end the violence or face sanctions.
However, activists said at least 11 people died in clashes on Friday, amid growing fears of civil war. The deadline for Syria to accept the plan passed at 22:00 GMT on Saturday.
Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby said the group was studying a letter from Syria which "included amendments to the draft protocol regarding the legal status and duties of the monitoring mission of the Arab League to Syria". 'Armed gangs'
Reports suggest Damascus has said it will accept a delegation of 40 observers - a much smaller number than the 500 initially proposed by the League. On Friday, Syria said in principle it would accept observers to monitor implementation of a peace deal, but with conditions.
The BBC's Jim Muir, in neighbouring Lebanon, says opposition activists are extremely sceptical, believing that the government is just playing for time. The head of the Arab League said it was studying a letter from Syria seeking changes to its proposed observer mission. Reports say Damascus is seeking to reduce the observer delegation to 40 from 500.
But the Syrian authorities also face a dilemma, our correspondent says: if they allow the situation to be stabilised with observers, and pull their troops out, they could see large parts of the country falling outside their control. The observers are supposed to oversee the implementation of the rest of the plan, which requires the government to stop attacking demonstrators, pull its military out of restive areas and begin negotiations with the opposition.
The Arab League plan, drawn up earlier this month, calls on Syria to withdraw tanks from restive cities, cease its attacks on protesters and engage in dialogue with the opposition within two weeks. But in his interview with the Sunday Times, Mr Assad accused the Arab League of creating a pretext for Western intervention in his country, which he said would trigger an "earthquake" across the Middle East.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad agreed to the plan at the time, but has so far failed to implement it. Mr Assad said his soldiers were under attack and the response was to "search for the armed people, chase the armed gangs, prevent the entry of arms and weapons from neighbouring countries, prevent sabotage and enforce law and order".
Correspondents say the invitation for League officials to visit Syria is a significant concession by Damascus. There were 24 more deaths on Saturday, according to the umbrella organisation covering the main opposition groups. The Local Co-ordination Committees said the toll included 10 in Homs, five in Qusair, nine in the town of Kafr Takharim in Idlib province, three in the town of Halfaya in Hama, and one each in Deraa and Bokamal.
The Qusair toll included two army defectors and two civilians killed in a clash with troops.
But the LCC tally did not appear to include four intelligence agents reportedly killed when defecting soldiers attacked their car in Homs.
International division
The BBC's Jim Muir, in neighbouring Lebanon, says Syrian authorities face a dilemma: if they allow the situation to be stabilised with observers, and pull their troops out, they could see large parts of the country falling outside their control.
Syria is aware that Libya's suspension from the Arab League helped persuade the UN Security Council to authorise the military action which helped topple Col Muammar Gaddafi.Syria is aware that Libya's suspension from the Arab League helped persuade the UN Security Council to authorise the military action which helped topple Col Muammar Gaddafi.
'Restraint and caution' But the international community remains divided over Syria, with Russia urging restraint.
On Friday, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin called for restraint over Syria, after a meeting with French Prime Minister Francois Fillon. The US, while warning that the situation could escalate into a civil war, says there is little appetite in the international community to intervene in Syria.
"We are calling for restraint and caution. This is our position," Mr Putin told a Moscow news conference, according to AFP news agency. British Foreign Secretary William Hague will meet members of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) and the National Co-ordination Committee for Democratic Change in London on Monday, his office said.
Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary William Hague will meet members of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) and the National Co-ordination Committee for Democratic Change in London on Monday, his office said.
Mr Hague's decision to meet opposition members comes amid mounting pressure on Damascus.
Both the US and Turkey have warned that the situation could escalate into a civil war. King Abdullah of Jordan urged Mr Assad to stand down.
But the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, said she did not expect there to be an international intervention as in Libya.
Some 400 people have been killed since the announcement of the Arab League initiative on 2 November, activists in Syria said.
The UN says at least 3,500 people have died since the unrest began in March, while many others have disappeared or been jailed.
Are you in Syria? Do you have friends or family there? You can send your comments to the BBC using the form below:Are you in Syria? Do you have friends or family there? You can send your comments to the BBC using the form below: