Syria agrees to Arab observers under conditions

DAMASCUS, Syria - Syria said on Monday it would agree to allow Arab League observers into the country as part of a plan to end almost nine months of violence, but placed a number of conditions, including the cancellation of deeply embarrassing economic sanctions.

Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby swiftly rebuffed Damascus' demands, and the Syrian opposition accused President Bashar al-Assad of wasting time and trying to trick Arab leaders into reversing punitive measures against Damascus.

Meanwhile, China expects all relevant parties to hold talks in order to reach a consensus on the Arab League protocol on an observer mission to Syria, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday.