Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani (C) talks to Arab League Secretary-General Nabil al-Arabi (L) during a meeting for Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, Thursday, (Photo: Reuters).
Syria has slammed the Arab League's ultimatum to agree by Friday to allow an observer mission into the country or face sanctions.
Syria's state-run SANA news agency said Friday that the Arab League "has become a tool for foreign interference." It also said the 22-nation group is serving a Western agenda to stir up trouble in the region.
Thursday's threat was a humiliating blow to Damascus, a founding member of the Arab League. It comes as international pressure mounts on President Bashar Assad to stop the brutal crackdown on an uprising against his regime.
The UN says has at least 3,500 have been killed since mid-March.
More protests were planned Friday. Activists urged protesters to flood the streets to support army defectors who have sided with the opposition.
The Arab League had given Syria one day to sign a protocol allowing monitors into the country or face sanctions including halting flights and suspending transactions with the central bank.
Arab foreign ministers who met in Cairo on Thursday said unless Syria agreed to let the monitors in to assess progress of an Arab League plan to end eight months of bloodshed, officials would consider imposing sanctions on Saturday.
Under a Nov. 2 Arab League initiative, Syria agreed to withdraw troops from urban centres, release political prisoners, start a dialogue with the opposition and allow monitors and international media into the country.
Since then hundreds of people, civilians, security forces and army deserters, have been killed.
The violence prompted former ally Turkey to bluntly tell President Bashar al-Assad to step down and led France to propose "humanitarian corridors" in Syria to help transport medicines or other supplies to civilians in need.
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