CAIRO: Syria has agreed to an Arab League plan to end the country's crisis, in particular pledging to end repression of protests during which, according to the United Nations, more than 3,000 people have been killed since mid-March.

Following are the main points of the Arab plan:

1: - Complete halt to the violence, whatever its origin, to protect Syrian civilians.

2: - Release of people detained as a result of the recent events.

3: - Withdrawal of every type of military presence from towns and residential districts.

4: - Allow concerned organizations from the Arab League, Arab and international media to move freely throughout Syria and find out the reality of the situation.

According to the text of the plan, "after tangible progress is achieved by the Syrian government in applying the terms of the four preceding points," the Arab ministerial committee will have contacts and consult with the government and various Syrian opposition bodies. The aim of these will be "to prepare a conference of national dialogue within two weeks."

The plan does not stipulate the exact date for the military withdrawal nor when the two-week period should begin.

Arab diplomats say that Damascus wants the talks to take place in Syria, something the opposition categorically refuses.

The Arab League has suggested that initially the talks take place in Cairo.