Syria rejected on Monday, Jan 23, a proposal by Arab League foreign ministers that President Bashar al-Assad hand over power to a deputy and set up a new unity government, saying the plan was part of a "conspiracy against Syria," Reuters reported.

"Syria rejects the decisions from the Arab League ministerial council ... and considers them a violation of its national sovereignty and a flagrant interference in its internal affairs,” an official was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia said it will withdraw its observers from Syria because the mission has failed to end 10 months of bloodshed and will call on the international community to apply "all possible pressure" on Damascus to end the violence, its foreign minister said.

"My country will withdraw its monitors because the Syrian government did not execute any of the elements of the Arab resolution plan," Prince Saud al-Faisal told Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo.