France wants Arab League peace monitors to deploy immediately to the Syrian city of Homs.

France wants Arab League peace monitors to deploy immediately to the Syrian city of Homs.

"The Damascus authorities must imperatively, in accordance with the Arab League plan, allow observers access this afternoon to the city of Homs," spokesperson Bernard Valero said.

An initial group of 50 Arab observers was due to land in Syria later Monday to oversee a deal aimed at ending the current situation, but gunfire was reportedly continuing in Homs and other flashpoints.

A nine-member advance team of Arab monitors arrived on Thursday to pave the way for the observer mission to oversee a deal aimed at ending the recently erupted crisis.

Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdisi said the observer "mission has freedom of movement in line with the protocol" Syria signed with the Arab League last week.

Under that deal, the observers are to be banned only from sensitive military installations.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem has said he expects the observers to vindicate his government's contention that "armed terrorists" are behind the violence.

The mission is part of an Arab plan endorsed by Syria on November 2 that calls for a halt to violence and the release of detainees.