Arab League Delays Meeting on Syria Observer Mission

Arab ministers will meet February 11 to review their suspended observer mission to Syria, postponing talks as a U.N. vote on the country's bloodshed is delayed, an Arab League official said on Wednesday.

The official said a meeting of foreign ministers, planned for February 5 in Doha, has been rescheduled for February 11 in Cairo where the League has its headquarters.

Arab League head Nabil al-Arabi announce last week the mission's suspension "after the Syrian government chose the option of escalation, which increased the number of victims."

Syria condemned the move and said it was "aimed at increasing the pressure for foreign intervention in Syrian affairs."

The 165 League observers were deployed in December after Syria agreed to a League plan for a halt to the violence, for prisoners to be freed, tanks withdrawn from towns and on the free movement of observers and foreign media.

French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said earlier on Wednesday that the U.N. Security Council could vote on a resolution next week demanding an end to bloodshed in Syria.

Western powers and the Arab League on Tuesday demanded immediate U.N. action to stop the killings but holdout Syria's ally Russia has vowed to veto any proposal it deemed unacceptable.