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| Syria expects to sign Arab League peace deal 'soon' | Syria expects to sign Arab League peace deal 'soon' |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Syria has responded "positively" to an Arab League initiative aimed at ending eight months of deadly unrest, its foreign ministry spokesman has said. | Syria has responded "positively" to an Arab League initiative aimed at ending eight months of deadly unrest, its foreign ministry spokesman has said. |
| Jihad al-Makdisi told reporters that he expected a deal to be signed soon. | Jihad al-Makdisi told reporters that he expected a deal to be signed soon. |
| He spoke after the expiry of the latest deadline set by the Arab League for Damascus to agree to its peace plan and allow in observers to monitor it. | He spoke after the expiry of the latest deadline set by the Arab League for Damascus to agree to its peace plan and allow in observers to monitor it. |
| Syria is under pressure to end its crackdown on an uprising the UN says has left more than 4,000 people dead. | Syria is under pressure to end its crackdown on an uprising the UN says has left more than 4,000 people dead. |
| Over the weekend, the Syrian army staged war games in a show of force. | Over the weekend, the Syrian army staged war games in a show of force. |
| The exercises included the test-firing of missiles, and air force and ground troop operations in simulated battle conditions. | The exercises included the test-firing of missiles, and air force and ground troop operations in simulated battle conditions. |
| State television said the aim was to test "the capabilities and the readiness of missile systems to respond to any possible aggression". | State television said the aim was to test "the capabilities and the readiness of missile systems to respond to any possible aggression". |
| 'Road cleared' | 'Road cleared' |
| The Arab League had given the Syrian government until Sunday to sign its peace initiative and agree to the deployment of an observer mission, or face the imposition of further sanctions approved last week. | The Arab League had given the Syrian government until Sunday to sign its peace initiative and agree to the deployment of an observer mission, or face the imposition of further sanctions approved last week. |
| The new measures, officials said, would include freezing the assets of top officials and associates of President Bashar al-Assad, and banning them from other Arab countries. The number of flights to Syria would also be halved. | The new measures, officials said, would include freezing the assets of top officials and associates of President Bashar al-Assad, and banning them from other Arab countries. The number of flights to Syria would also be halved. |
| Some sanctions - including a ban on dealings with Syria's central bank, a halt to Arab government funding for projects in Syria, and a freeze of Syrian government assets - went into effect after Damascus failed to meet the last deadline to allow in observers on 25 November. | Some sanctions - including a ban on dealings with Syria's central bank, a halt to Arab government funding for projects in Syria, and a freeze of Syrian government assets - went into effect after Damascus failed to meet the last deadline to allow in observers on 25 November. |
| The Syrian government complained that the Arab League's proposals would infringe on national sovereignty, although it did not reject them. | The Syrian government complained that the Arab League's proposals would infringe on national sovereignty, although it did not reject them. |
| At a news conference on Monday, Mr Makdisi said Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem had sent a message late on Sunday to the Arab League saying "the road has been cleared for the signing" of a deal. | At a news conference on Monday, Mr Makdisi said Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem had sent a message late on Sunday to the Arab League saying "the road has been cleared for the signing" of a deal. |
| "The protocol is intended to be signed soon," Mr Makdisi said. "The Syrian government has responded positively to the draft protocol." | "The protocol is intended to be signed soon," Mr Makdisi said. "The Syrian government has responded positively to the draft protocol." |
| "I am optimistic, although I await the Arab League response first." | |
| Mr Makdisi said clarifications sought by the Syrian government on certain points of the peace plan should be included in its annexes when published, and also that the government wanted the agreement to be signed in Damascus rather than at the Arab League's headquarters in Cairo or elsewhere. | |
| Once that had been done, he added, he expected the sanctions on Syria to be lifted. | |
| The BBC's Jim Muir in Beirut says that if the Syrian government were to fully sign up to the peace plan, it would have to withdraw all its military forces from towns and villages around the country, release detainees, and allow observers in to ensure the violence really had ended. | |
| That could mean that large parts of the country which have seen constant disturbances might slide out of government control, so the opposition is bound to be deeply sceptical, our correspondent adds. | |
| Despite the Arab League's efforts, the violence is continuing in Syria, with at least four people reported to have been killed by security forces on Monday in the flashpoint city of Homs. | |
| Human rights groups and opposition activists say at least 950 people were killed in November alone, making it the deadliest month since the uprising began in mid-March. | Human rights groups and opposition activists say at least 950 people were killed in November alone, making it the deadliest month since the uprising began in mid-March. |
| Earlier this week, UN Human Rights Council strongly condemned the "gross and systematic" violations by Syrian forces, and said it was appointing a special investigator to report on the ongoing crackdown. | Earlier this week, UN Human Rights Council strongly condemned the "gross and systematic" violations by Syrian forces, and said it was appointing a special investigator to report on the ongoing crackdown. |