'Arab League is being used as tool'

Syria's foreign minister has attacked the Arab League following its suspension of Damascus and says the organisation is being used as a “tool” to take the Syrian crisis to the United Nations Security Council.

Syria's foreign minister has attacked the Arab League following its suspension of Damascus and says the organisation is being used as a "tool" to take the Syrian crisis to the United Nations Security Council.

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Walid al-Moallem is speaking in Damascus shortly after the Arab League rejected Syria's proposed amendments to a peace plan to end the country's turmoil, saying the changes put forward by Damascus alter the plan's "essence."

Al-Moallem said on Sunday the proposed Arab League mission gave excessive authority to the observers and violated Syria's sovereignty.He denied Damascus had sought to restrict the observers' movement within Syria, but declined to give further details about the reply.

The minister said Syria will send a reply to the Arab League secretary general asking for clarifications on why the proposed amendments were rejected.