Syria: Assad agrees reform measures

The Arab League agreed with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on a series of measures to end months of bloodshed, the League head said on Saturday (September 10) after a visit to Damascus.The proposed measures will be presented to an Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo, Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby also told journalists in Cairo upon his return from Damascus. Elaraby said he had urged the Syrian president to speed up reform plans through a timetable that will make every Syrian citizen feel that he has moved to a new stage.The 22-member body has been under pressure to speak out more openly following the uprisings that ousted leaders in Tunisia and Egypt and led to the overthrow of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi - achieved with NATO air intervention endorsed by the Arab League. Elaraby said the League would now be willing to play a more active role in facilitating Syrian reconciliation talks.Arab governments broke months of silence at a meeting at the Leagues headquarters in Cairo two weeks ago demanding Syria end months of bloodshed which the United Nations said had killed more than 2,000 people, and decided to send Elaraby to Damascus to push for political and economic reforms.