(all times BST). Welcome to Middle East Live. The crisis in Syria is the main item on the agenda of the Arab League's summit in Baghdad today.

Here's a roundup of the latest developments:

Syria

• As heads of state gathered in Baghdad for the Arab League summit, the Iraqi government said it backs Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan for Syria. Annan is due to address the meeting today.

• Syria has already divided and in some ways defeated the Arab League meeting, according to Middle East analyst Juan Cole.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar wanted a resolution calling for al-Assad to step down in Syria and for arming the Syrian revolutionaries. Failing that, they wanted to invite members of the rebel parties to attend in Baghdad. Iraq rejected all these proposals. As a result, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, along with about half of the attending countries, are only sending ambassadors, not foreign ministers– a snub at Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

• Maliki is unlikely to help international efforts to oust the Assad government, according to former US diplomat Daniel Serwer.

Washington would like Baghdad to help get Bashar to walk the plank. Tehran will resist that mightily, and if it happens will redouble its effort to create in Iraq any "strategic depth" it loses in Syria. Maliki can only gain from an end to the Assad regime if it gets him serious support from the Kurds and Sunnis within Iraq, as well as the broader Arab world. I'd like to believe that would happen, but he is unlikely to have enough confidence it would.

• The Arab states should commit to carrying out and monitoring the implementation of targeted sanctions against the Syrian leadership as it agreed last November, Human Rights Watch has urged. Sarah Leah Whitson, its Middle East and North Africa director, said: "By moving forward with the sanctions against the Syrian leadership, the Arab League will send a convincing message that actions are more important than words."

• Six US senators, including John McCain, have backed a resolution calling for the establishment of safe zones inside Syria and support for arming the opposition, Foreign Policy reports. But the non-binding resolution stops short of calling for direct military intervention in Syria, which McCain supports.

• It is probably the last thing Syrian revolutionaries want, but former US president George Bush has sent them a message of support, via the Syrian dissident Ammar Abdulhamid.

He said: "As I think about freedom I think about the people of Syria who are demanding their God given right. Our hearts are with you. You are showing great courage, and I ask that the almighty bless you."

• The US has accused Syria of already reneging on its apparent commitment to the Annan plan. State department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said:

We've seen arrests and violence continuing today across Syria, from Dera'a to Hama, so it is clear that the Assad regime has not yet taken the necessary steps to implement the commitment that it's made to Kofi Annan. So as the secretary said yesterday, he knows what he needs to do; we will judge him by his actions, not by his promises.

• Syrian security forces have shot and killed two freelance British journalists of Algerian descent and wounded a third, according to a Spanish newspaper report and a witness interviewed by the Committee to Protect Journalists. The Spanish daily El Mundo, citing local activists, said Naseem Intriri and Walid Bledi were killed during an attack on the town of Darkoush near the Turkish border.

• Kofi Annan is likely to have his work cut out persuading the Iranian leadership to change tack on Syria as he heads to Tehran next week, writes Ian Black.

Tehran has consistently denied helping Assad crush the uprising, but few are convinced. Iranian security and communications experts are reported by multiple sources to be advising the Syrians, drawing on the Iranian experience of crushing the 2009 election protests. Syrian riot police use equipment I last saw on the streets of Tehran. And just to dispel any doubts, on Tuesday President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad openly praised the Syrian leadership's handling of the uprising.

Bahrain

• The head of Formula One, Bernie Ecclestone, has promised Bahrain that a Grand Prix will be held in the Gulf kingdom for as long as the sport is needed. Asked about next month's Grand Prix he said: "Of course the race is going to happen. No worries at all. What I don't understand are the negative statements being made."

Libya

• Assets worth more than €1bn belonging to the late Muammar Gaddafi, his son, and his intelligence chief were seized in Italy in raids by its revenue guard made at the request of the international criminal court in The Hague. They included holdings in some of Italy's biggest corporations, a 1.5% stake in the Serie A side Juventus and a Harley-Davidson motorbike. The ICC launched a hunt for property belonging to Gaddafi and his associates last June when it issued warrants for their arrest on charges of crimes against humanity.

• Heavy fighting, between Tebu militiamen and local brigadesmen supported by government forces, has continued in the southern city of Sebha, the Libya Herald reports. Government spokesman Nasser Al-Mana said clashes were subsiding but that more than 70 people had died so far in the fighting. Others disagreed. "The fighting has not stopped all day," local Sebha resident El-Hussein Muhamed.

Egypt

• The head of Egypt's military junta has pardoned Ayman Nour, clearing an obstacle that would have prevented the prominent opposition politician from running for president. Nour was sentenced to five years in jail for allegedly forging signatures on party documents in 2005 when he stood against Hosni Mubarak, then the president, in an election.

Syria's state media has said little about the Assad regime's acceptance of Annan's six-point peace plan, and how it will be implemented.

Sana appears more interested in the fact that Russia and China have both welcomed Syria's acceptance of the plan.

And it suggested that the Syrian authorities will continue to crack down on its opponents until rebels lay down their arms, by noting Russia's call for opposition groups to commit to resolving the crisis peacefully.

As we reported yesterday foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Maqdisi said Syria won't accept any resolution from today's Arab League summit.

Kofi Annan's office has denied Iranian foreign ministry claims that he will be travelling to Tehran next week, AFP reports (via EA WorldView).

"He's not going to visit Iran next Monday or next week," his spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi said. Fawzi confirmed that Annan will speak next Monday to the UN security council via videoconference from Geneva.

UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon has met the Arab leaders who have shown up to the summit in Baghdad, Reuters reports.

AFP claimed only six leaders had turned up.

Its correspondent in Baghdad later updated this to eight.

Qatar's prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani denied that he was boycotting the summit, but confirmed he won't be there.

He said a choice should be made between the Syrian people and its leader. "We in Qatar and all the Arab world will choose the peoples since we cannot support a leader's slaughter of his own people," he said.

The arrival in Baghdad of the emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah for the summit marked the first visit by a Kuwaiti leader since Saddam Hussein's invasion in 1990, the BBC notes.

Liz Sly from the Washington Post tweets:

Iraqi PM Maliki kisses Emir of Kuwait on cheek as he steps off plane in Baghdad. Reconciliation at last. #ALIraq — Liz Sly (@LizSly) March 29, 2012

Ali Ferzat, the Syrian cartoonist who beaten by members of the security forces last August, was named last night as winner in the arts section of this year's Index Freedom of Expression Awards.

Ferzat's work satirised President Assad and the police state in Syria.

Accepting the award in London last night, he said: "Artists are an integral part of any popular revolt. Their work encourages people to participate and take part in the revolution."

The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) received the Bindmans award for advocacy for documenting human rights violations, political repression and torture in the Gulf kingdom.

The award was accepted by BCHR president Nabeel Rajab, who was severely beaten by security forces earlier this year.

Sweden's defence minister has been forced to resign after a deal to help arm Saudi Arabia prompted a human rights row, Reuters reports.

Arms sales to Saudi Arabia have caused criticism in a country which prides itself on standing up for human rights, and the reports about aid for the weapons plant sparked an outcry. Defence Minister Sten Tolgfors survived initial reports by public radio about plans for a state-run defence research agency, FOI, to help Saudi Arabia build the plant by saying he had not known of them and that FOI had over-stepped its authority. But reports of the details of the affair have continued to surface, steadily increasing pressure on him. "He [Tolgfors] has resigned at his own request," said Roberta Alenius, spokeswoman for prime minister Fredrik Reinfeldt.

Michael Young of Lebanon's Daily Star has no illusions about Annan's six-point plan.

He writes:

Russia and China consider the Annan plan a formula for saving Bashar Assad, not getting rid of him. The most ridiculous claim in the past two weeks is that Moscow and Beijing have softened on Syria, and proved this by moving closer to the Americans and the Europeans in the Security Council, where they signed on to a presidential statement backing Annan's mission. The truth is that it's the Obama administration and its European partners that have adopted the Russian and Chinese perspective. When President Barack Obama says that Assad will fall, that's empty oratory destined to keep Syria at arm's length during an election year, and avoid accusations that the US president is soft on mass murder ... The Russian calculation is that if Assad can begin negotiations with the opposition, he will prevail. The different opposition groups will be divided, with some endorsing talks and others rejecting them, permitting the Syrian regime to select its interlocutors. Those who say no to Annan's offer, Moscow believes, will lose international legitimacy.

He claims the plan will increase violence not tackle it.

The Syrian opposition will refuse to deal with their killer; those who do so will be marginalized. As many Syrians observe the international community endorsing the Russian and Chinese position; as they realise that Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy are patent hypocrites; and as they witness outsiders, including Syrian exiles hostile to the Assad regime, manoeuvring without consulting them, they will become more frustrated and angry, and they will purchase weapons. There will be war, all because no one dares show Bashar Assad the exit.

Egypt's ruling military council – which faces growing demands for public scrutiny – has warned it will not allow civilians to encroach on the armed forces' extensive business enterprises. The Associated Press reports:

Maj Gen Mahmoud Nasr, the deputy defence minister for financial affairs and a member of the ruling military council, defended the military's economic establishment, saying it was in the public interest. He said the generals have even lent the government money to prop up its failing finances during the turmoil that followed the popular uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak last year. His comments, published in the local media Wednesday, appeared aimed at winning public support in the face of unprecedented national scrutiny of the huge military economic sector. The military has enjoyed near-autonomous power in Egypt for the last 60 years, providing all the country's leaders since the 1952 military coup that brought military officers to office. Over that time, it expanded its business ventures that gained it huge perks and privileges such as large government construction contracts and almost guaranteed well paid government jobs for its retired generals. In recent years, it built a massive economic empire that is shrouded in secrecy and, according to some estimates, accounts anywhere between 15% and for 40% of the nation's GDP. The generals have never confirmed any figures.

In post-revolution Tunisia, a conference has just taken place to introduce businesses to the idea of corporate social responsibility. A business school professor expounded on the benefits of ethical practices and positive employer-employee relationships – but for many that's still unfamiliar territory.

TunisiaLive quotes Monia Essaidi, a founding member of the new "best practice" organisation:

The old regime of Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali encouraged most companies in Tunisia to be in the informal, or black-market, sector. They did not pay taxes, and the extended family of the president benefited from and encouraged the corrupt system. We hope we can encourage not just the large companies but also the small and medium enterprises in Tunisia to join the formal sector.

Another video has emerged purporting to show a brigadier general defecting from the Syrian army, as the Syrian state media reported the assassination of two colonels in Aleppo.

The latest clip claims to show brigadier-general Ziad Ismail Fahad from Latakia switching allegiance to the Free Syrian Army.

Yesterday an officer from the same rank in Rastan, Adnan Al-Ahmed, announced his defection in another clip. And on Tuesday brigadier general Hussein Mohammed also announced his defection, according another unverified clip, in what appeared to be the same location.

The state news agency Sana said terrorists killed colonels Abdul-Karim al-Raei and Fouad Shaaban in Aleppo.

Yesterday Sana announced the assassinated of general Khleif al-Abdullah in Aleppo.

The Brics group of emerging market nations agreed that only dialogue can resolve violence in Syria, according to al-Arabiya citing Indian prime minister Manmohan Singh.

"We agreed that a lasting solution in Syria and Iran can only be found through dialogue," Singh said in a closing statement at the summit in New Delhi attended by the leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The Russian news agency Interfax said the Brics group called for an end to all forms of violence and human rights abuses.

Bahrain: the government-controlled Bahrain News Agency has a regular supply of stories where important foreigners are quoted (not always accurately) as praising the kingdom's reforms and achievements.

The latest examples are praise from "a top EU official" who is not named and (in Arabic) the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal.

Meanwhile, the news agency is keeping rather quiet about a report from Human Rights Watch which says Bahrain's government has failed to implement critical recommendations by the independent commission that looked into human rights violations last year.

HRW says:

The Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (BICI), established by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and headed by the Egyptian-American jurist Cherif Bassiouni, issued its findings in November 2011. The king promised at the time to carry out all of its recommendations and established a National Commission to monitor the process. That body reported on March 20, 2012, that the implementation of the BICI's recommendations had been "comprehensive and far reaching" and "touched all aspects of Bahraini life." But some of the BICI's most serious concerns, like accountability for crimes such as torture and relief for people wrongly imprisoned, were not adequately addressed, Human Rights Watch said. "Bahrain has taken some positive steps, but the Bahraini authorities can hardly claim that the BICI's recommendations have been implemented as long as hundreds of people remain behind bars solely for speaking out and demanding a change of government," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "And it seems that no high-ranking officials have been investigated for their roles in rampant torture or unlawful killings."

Fighting between Syrian security forces and rebels killed at least 13 people today, according to Reuters.

The opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the violence, reported that eight members of the security forces were wounded in a clash with armed defectors in Dael, in the southern province of Deraa. In the town of Kherbet Ghazaleh, surrounded by the army and security forces, loud explosions were heard. In northern Hama province, an army convoy was ambushed and two soldiers killed. In Idlib province three people died when the army launched a raid in a rural area east of the town of Maarat al-Nuaman. The Observatory reported clashes between army and defectors near the town of Zabadani, near the Lebanese border. In rural Damascus province explosions were heard and smoke was seen rising from building in the town of Harasta. Syria's state news agency Sana said that two colonels were assassinated in the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday.

The activist group, the Local Co-ordination Committees in Syria, reported the deaths of 21 people today including eight in the Damascus suburb of Douma.

Footage from activists claimed to show tanks manoeuvring in Jrzinaz, east of Maart al-Nuaman, the area where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said three people died.

A rocket or mortar round landed on the edge of the fortified Green Zone in Baghdad where the Arab League summit is taking place, a senior security source told Reuters.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. A Reuters reporter at the scene also heard the blast.

The BBC's Paul Danahar tweeted:

Mortar round near greenzone in #Baghdad during #Arab League wasn't close enough to make people stop eating their open air lunch #ALIraq — Paul Danahar (@pdanahar) March 29, 2012

Salman Shaikh, director of the Brookings Doha Centre, tweeted:

Achievement of #ALIraq summit is its happening. Otherwise, its a failure. #AL is divided & reflects growing divide along "#Syria fault-line" — Salman Shaikh (@Salman_Shaikh1) March 29, 2012

There are conflicting reports of the apparent bomb attack, or attacks, in Baghdad.

AFP said a single blast was heard at around 1.40 pm (11.40 BST) from the the Salhiyeh neighborhood of central Baghdad.

The BBC said two explosions occurred near the Iranian embassy and the city's secure Green Zone.

Here's a summary of the main developments so far today:

Syria

• The opening of the Arab League summit in Baghdad has been marred by a bomb attack and the non-attendance of some organisation's most prominent leaders. Fewer than half the leaders of the 22-member group turned up, reflecting divisions over how to tackle the Syrian crisis. The meeting is expected to endorse Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan. Saudi Arabia and Qatar want the league to go further by calling for president Bashar al-Assad to step down.

• The Brics group of emerging market nations, including China and Russia, have agreed have that only dialogue can resolve violence in Syria. At a meeting in Delhi the group also called for an end to all forms of violence and human rights abuses.

• More officers have declared their defection from the Assad regime as the state news agency reported the assassination of two colonels in Syria's largest city Aleppo. Three unverified videos have purported to show the defection of brigadier generals.

• Fighting between Syrian security forces and rebels killed at least 13 people today. An activist group claimed 21 people had been killed, including eight in the Damascus suburb of Douma.

Egypt

• Egypt's ruling military council – which faces growing demands for public scrutiny – has warned it will not allow civilians to encroach on the armed forces' extensive business enterprises. Maj Gen Mahmoud Nasr, the deputy defence minister for financial affairs and a member of the ruling military council, defended the military's economic establishment, saying it was in the public interest.

• The head of Egypt's military junta has pardoned Ayman Nour, clearing an obstacle that would have prevented the prominent opposition politician from running for president. Nour was sentenced to five years in jail for allegedly forging signatures on party documents in 2005 when he stood against Hosni Mubarak, then the president, in an election.

The Lebanese army has confiscated two truckloads of weapons from the border area of Masharih al-Qaa, the Beirut Daily Star reports, citing an unidentified security source.

The weapons, which were seized last night, are said to have been concealed in two cold storage trucks parked on a side road in Masharih al-Qaa. The Daily Star says no arrests were made during the raid, the second in the area in as many days.

On Tuesday the same area came under machinegun fire from Syrian troops, though Lebanese officials denied reports of a Syrian cross-border incursion.

Reports from Morocco say the imprisoned student, Ezzedine Eroussi, has been transferred to the university hospital in Rabat after 101 days on hunger strike. His condition is described as stable, though he is not being allowed any visitors.

Ezzedine, a member of the students' union in Taza, northern Morocco, was arrested during a students' protest at his university last December and accused of belonging to an "unlawful organisation".

Five Iranian engineers who were kidnapped by Syrian rebels in December, have been freed, according to Iran's Press TV.

The plight of the Iranians was highlighted by Human Rights Watch in report earlier this month which highlighted abuses by opposition forces.

It said:

On January 26 the Al-Farouq battalion claimed responsibility for capturing seven Iranian nationals, five of whom appeared in video footage claiming to be members of the Iranian armed forces. In an interview on February 22 with Human Rights Watch the Al-Farouq battalion media co-ordinator said that the other two people detained are civilians but that they were detained because no Persian speaker was available when the Iranians were detained and that their civilian status was only confirmed later. When asked why the civilians had not yet been released, he would not comment.

It also noted that a previous report of the group's release turned out to be false.

Time for a look at some tweets from the Arab summit (#ALIraq) in Baghdad. It sounds like a typical Arab summit, with the Iraqi capital more or less under lockdown to protect the heads of state (who on this occasion have mostly failed to turn up) and with large parts of the phone system turned off. Meanwhile, representatives of the media are kept fed and watered while being prevented from making contact with anyone important.

#ALIraq logistics: Turkish Rixos chain providing 600 chefs, 820 waiters, 78 butlers, 62 protocol butlers. Renovated 7 hotels, 6 palaces — Hannah Allam (@HannahAllam) March 27, 2012

#ALIraq official dessert menu includes "dates covered with 24-carat gold," acc to press release from Turkish caterers — Hannah Allam (@HannahAllam) March 27, 2012

If i was a #Baghdadi I'd be fed up. I can't leave my home, there's a power cut &#ALiraq leaders get to chomp through gold plated dates — Paul Danahar (@pdanahar) March 29, 2012

4 the second day, most #Baghdad neighbourhoods left with no cell phone coverage part of security measures 4 #ALIraq summit.2day is last day. — Hadeel AlSayegh (@hadeelasayegh) March 29, 2012

Member of #iraq media committee organizing the press says "I would give u my eyes but not information" and tells us 2 watch state tv #ALiraq — Arwa Damon (@arwaCNN) March 29, 2012

Two distinct booms. Not too close but close enough. Security spokes scrambling on phone. They gonna turn network back on for him? #ALIraq — Kelly McEvers (@kellymcevers) March 29, 2012

Absurdity in #ALIraq press area. No access to delegates so TV journos are interviewing each other. — Ben Van Heuvelen (@berendvh) March 27, 2012

Up to 12 Iranians kidnapped in Syria have been released, Iran's official news agency Irna reports, according Now Lebanon.

"Informed sources in Syria say 12 Iranian nationals have been released, seven of whom are of Iranian pilgrims and five are Iranian engineers."

As mentioned earlier Press TV, said only five engineers had been released.

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has urged the Syrian opposition to back Kofi Annan's peace plan.

He made the call at the Arab League's summit in Baghdad which Syrian opposition were not attending.

Annan also urged the Syrian government to implement Annan's six-point plan without delay.

Here are his remarks on Syria:

The conflict in Syria is on a dangerous trajectory with potential ramifications for the entire region.



The government has failed to fulfil its responsibility to protect its own people.



Instead it has subjected citizens in several cities to military assault and disproportionate use of force.



I know you have been working hard over the past few days here in Baghdad to forge a united front on this worsening crisis. It has been at the top of my discussions with numerous world leaders over the past few days, including [Nabil] Elarabiy your secretary-general.



As you know, the Syrian government has written to the joint special envoy, Kofi Annan, accepting his six-point plan, which was endorsed by the United Nations security council. I share Annan's view that this is an important initial step that could bring an end to the violence and the bloodshed, provide aid to those people who are suffering, and create an environment conducive to a political dialogue that would fulfil the long-held legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people. It is essential that President Assad put those commitments into immediate effect. The world is waiting for commitments to be translated into action. The key here is implementation. There is no time to waste. At the same time, I call on the opposition to fully cooperate with Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan's proposal. And I appreciate the work done by those of you here today to ensure this violence stops immediately. Annan is working urgently with all parties, including the opposition, to secure that implementation and to get an inclusive political process in place. I sincerely appreciate his tireless efforts and the evident support he is receiving from the international community.

New video purports to show the moment Syrian rebels blew up a tank in Dael, in the southern province of Dera'a (via @ArabSpringFF).

Eight members of the security forces were reported wounded in the area today after clashes with armed defectors.

There's been an interesting ding-dong on the merits of the Annan plan from two members of the US commentariat.

Writing in the Washington Post, David Ignatius praised the Obama administration for resisting the "gung-ho gang" on Syria and backing Annan's plan.

I credit the Obama administration for resisting the growing chorus of calls to arm the Syrian rebels – and for continuing to seek Moscow's help even after the Russians' foot-dragging that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (imprudently but accurately) described last month as "despicable". It's a moment for realpolitik: The west needs Russia's help in removing Assad without a civil war, and Russia needs to broker a transition to bolster its future influence in the Arab world. That's the pragmatic logic that's driving Annan's peace effort.

Elliot Abrams, senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, responded:

If realpolitik means watching Assad kill more protesters and level more apartment houses, I suppose that's right. The usual criticism of realpolitik is that it lacks a moral dimension, and that is certainly true here. But a policy that would maintain Russian influence in Syria, back away from dealing Iran a gigantic blow by bringing down its only Arab ally, and fail to end the regime that is Hezbollah's armourer is hardly one that deserves to be described as "realist".

Belgium has become the latest country to close its embassy in Syria because of the deteriorating security situation, al-Jazeera reports.

Here's a guide to earlier closures, courtesy of Reuters.

6 February

The United States closed its embassy.

16 February

The Swiss foreign ministry said it was temporarily shutting its embassy in Damascus for security reasons.

1 March

Britain closed its embassy.

2 March

President Nicolas Sarkozy said on that France was shutting its embassy.

5 March

Canada shut its embassy in Damascus and imposed fresh sanctions on Syria, banning all dealings with the central bank.

7 March

Spain announced that its embassy in Damascus had closed. Like several other European countries Spain recalled its ambassador for consultations on 7 February.

14 March

Italy recalled all remaining staff from its embassy in Damascus and suspended diplomatic activity in Syria. The Netherlands also announced that it was closing its embassy.

15 March

Saudi Arabia, head of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), announced that it had closed its embassy in Damascus and withdrawn all its diplomats and staff. The other members of the GCC – Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates – have also announced the closure of their embassies in Damascus.

21 March

Japan said it would temporarily close its embassy in Syria due to security concerns. Operations for Syria will be conducted by Japan's embassy in Jordan for now.

26 March

Turkey closed its embassy. All staff have been withdrawn including the ambassador.

Steven Cook at the Council on Foreign Relations tweeted:

I can understand why countries are closing their embassies in Dams, but its leaves few ppl to report on Assad's violence #Syria — Steven A. Cook (@stevenacook) March 29, 2012

A activist group claims that 19 people were killed Syria today.

The Syrian Revolution General Commission [SRGC] said seven were killed Homs, and five in Hama. It added that five were also killed in Idlib, including a woman and a child.

Its figure does not include seven people whose bodies were found in the Damascus suburb of Douma. Earlier, another activist group the Local Co-ordination Committee in Syria said eight people were killed in the Damascus suburb of Douma.

The SRGC said the seven corpses were discovered in the Al Mujtahed hospital in Damascus today, but they had been killed in violence earlier this month.

A military intervention against Syria is the "least desired option" for both Turkey and the United States, the US ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone said today, according to the Turkish daily Hurriyet.

"Turkey and United States believe that a military intervention would be a last resort, a least desirable option to reach a solution in Syria," he said.



Last week defence analyst Tony Badran claimed US secretary of state Hillary Clinton had "emphatically dismissed" the idea of buffer zones during a meeting last month with Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu.

With 600 chefs in attendance and gold-covered dates on the menu, the Arab summit in Baghdad may have been a gastronomic triumph but politically it has produced very little to chew on.

As predicted, Arab leaders dropped their earlier demand for President Assad's resignation. Instead, they urged him to act quickly on the UN-backed peace plan that he has reportedly accepted.

"The solution for the crisis is still in the hands of the Syrians as a government and opposition," Arab League secretary-general Nabil Elaraby told the meeting.

Iraqi president Jalal Talabani called for a peaceful solution and, echoing the language in a draft communique from the summit, said the Syrian people had a legitimate right to freedom and democracy. The emir of Kuwait said: "The Syrian government is required today to listen to the voice of reason and wisdom and stop all kinds of violence."

Given the differences over Syria among the Arab states – with the Gulf monarchies taking the toughest line – the summit's rather bland outcome was probably all that could be expected. Lurking in the background, as the Associated Press points out, was Gulf leaders' deep distrust of Iraq's Shia-dominated government, which they view as a proxy for Iran, and their hopes that the fall of Assad can break Sunni-majority Syria out of its alliance with Iran.

The British government has allocated a further £500,000 for non-lethal support to Syrian civil society and oppositionists, foreign secretary William Hague is due to announce in a speech tonight. This is in addition to £450,000 already provided during the last eight months.

In a background note, the foreign office says the funding is intended to help Syrian political oppositionists to:

• Develop themselves as a credible alternative to Assad and his regime;

• Keep themselves safe against regime repression and violence by communicating effectively;

• Get improved access to humanitarian assistance;

• Develop the necessary capability to realise an orderly transition to a more democratic Syria.

It continues:

In addition the UK will be expanding its support for activists to ensure accountability. We are already working together with partners to ensure that no options for justice are closed to the Syrian people. Gathering and securing evidence is critical. The UK sent an expert mission to the region last month to help document the atrocities that have taken place and has previously trained Syrian human rights activists to document violations accurately and in accordance with international standards. We will provide further training to human rights activists from Syrian hotspots which have witnessed severe repression to build their capacity to gather, document and store evidence of human rights violations and abuses. This evidence of serious human rights violations, some of which may amount to crimes against humanity, can then be used by the Syrian people to ensure that there is a day of reckoning for those responsible. The UK is also looking at providing expert advice to nascent Syrian civil society groups, to help professionalise their reporting on human rights issues and improve their transparency. Finally, as Syrian opposition and civil society groups start to tackle the challenges of a sustainable political transition, including how to maintain essential services, revive the economy and deliver comprehensive constitutional reform we will provide UK expertise to support them.

President Assad has commented publicly for the first time on Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan for Syria.

In a letter to the Brics group of emerging market nations (published this afternoon in Arabic on the Sana website), he wished Annan success in his mission but appeared to set preconditions for implementation – including a halt to "terrorist acts by armed groups" and an end to "support for terrorism directed against Syria" from abroad.

The letter also said that he is planning in "a very short period" to start a national dialogue "involving all groups that work for the security and stability of the country" – a phrase that suggests some elements would be excluded from the dialogue.

Here's a summary of the main developments so far today:

Syria

• Arab leaders, at their summit in Baghdad, have dropped their earlier demand for President Assad's resignation and instead urged him to act quickly to implement the UN-backed peace plan for Syria.

• President Assad, in his first public comment on the peace plan, said he hoped it would succeed but appeared to set preconditions for its implementation.

• The British government is allocating a further £500,000 for non-lethal support to "Syrian civil society and oppositionists", in addition to £450,000 already provided during the last eight months.

• More officers have declared their defection from the Assad regime as the state news agency reported the assassination of two colonels in Syria's largest city Aleppo. Three unverified videos have purported to show the defection of brigadier generals.

Egypt

• Egypt's ruling military council – which faces growing demands for public scrutiny – has warned it will not allow civilians to encroach on the armed forces' extensive business enterprises.

• The head of Egypt's military junta has pardoned Ayman Nour, clearing an obstacle that would have prevented the prominent anti-Mubarak politician from running for president.

Morocco

• Imprisoned student Ezzedine Eroussi has reportedly been transferred to hospital in Rabat after 101 days on hunger strike.