On Monday in Egypt, Syria signed an agreement to allow-in monitors as part of an Arab peace plan that aims to end a nine-month crackdown on protests against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.<br/> (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL, NABIL ELARABY, APPROACHING PODIUM, SAYING:<br/> "Good morning, as most of you know, a few minutes ago, at 1300, a deal between the Syrian republic and the general secretariat, concerning the legal framework of the Arab League mission to Syria, has been signed."<br/> The protocol is part of a larger Arab League peace plan which calls for sending delegations to Syria, whose main purpose is to protect civilians.<br/> In Damascus, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem offered his thoughts.<br/> SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) WALID AL-MOUALEM, SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER, SAYING:<br/> "The co-ordination between our Russian friends and us is on a daily basis, whether through the Russian Ambassador to Damascus, or through phone calls with the Russian leadership. So there is no change in the Russian position. Russia's position is clear -- they advised us to sign the protocol, and we followed their advice."<br/> The United Nations estimates that 5,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising began in March.<br/> Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters
