The Head of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi hoped on Sunday that Russia and China would change their position on Syria in order to allow the UN Security Council to issue a resolution against Damascus.

The Head of the Arab League Nabil al-Arabi hoped on Sunday that Russia and China would change their position on Syria in order to allow the UN Security Council to issue a resolution against Damascus.

"I hope these two countries will alter their position concerning the draft UN Security Council resolution which would adopt the Arab plan," Arabi said before leaving Cairo for the United Nations in New York.

"I hope these two countries will alter their position concerning the draft UN Security Council resolution which would adopt the Arab plan," Arabi said before leaving Cairo for the United Nations in New York.

"Contacts are under way" between the Arab League "and Russia and China on the situation in Syria," Arabi added, in remarks reported by Egypt's official MENA news agency.

He said the League's decision to suspend its monitoring mission on the ground had been taken "because of a significant deterioration of the situation in Syria to ensure the security of the observers."

Arabi announced on Saturday that the Arab-pan body has suspended it monitoring mission in Syria due to the escalating violence in the country.