Cairo (CNN) -- Syria has accepted "in principle" an Arab League plan to permit observers into the country to verify whether the regime has taken measures to protect civilians, a senior Arab diplomat said Friday.





Questions remained, however, about the exact nature of the mission, if it proceeds. Originally, 500 observers were believed to be destined for Syria, but U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Friday afternoon that the proposed number had been reduced to 40.





Syria requested amendments to the plan Thursday night, a day after Arab league representatives approved it, the Cairo-based regional alliance said on its website.





Nabil el-Araby, secretary-general of the Arab League, said the league is studying the letter from Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem that included changes regarding the protocol and duties of the observers.





Eighteen of the alliance's 22 member nations voted to suspend Syria's membership in the league on Saturday. But the group, which met again in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday, gave Damascus three days to implement a protocol to allow observers to enter the nation.





"Our mission will be to portray the truth about the nature of the injuries (and) numbers of casualties and assess the hospitals, to see what they need and how well-prepared they are to accommodate the injured," said Dr. Ibrahim Zafarani, a former member of the Muslim Brotherhood and founding member of the Arab Doctors Association who said he'd volunteered to be an observer.





It is the latest diplomatic effort to resolve the crisis in Syria. International pressure has been mounting on President Bashar al-Assad over his regime's bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, amid concerns that violence in Syria is escalating.





World support and confidence in the Syrian regime have continued to dwindle in recent weeks. France's top diplomat called the state of affairs in embattled Syria "no longer tenable" Friday and wants the U.N. Security Council to step up and grapple with the eight-month-long crisis in the turbulent Arab nation.





"Despite all the calls that were made to that regime" for peaceful initiatives to end the raging street violence, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said in the Turkish capital of Ankara, "the regime did not want to know anything. Still this morning, in the north of Syria, several villages were bombarded by the Syrian army."





British Foreign Secretary William Hague will meet Monday with representatives from the Syrian National Council and National Coordinating Committee for Democratic Change, two groups opposed to President Bashar al-Assad's government, a foreign office spokeswoman said Friday.





The Local Coordination Committees of Syria, another activist group, said that at least 19 people were killed Friday by security forces and the army, among them four children. This is in addition to 26 killed by security forces Thursday, on top of scores killed earlier in the week, according to the organization.





Eight people were killed in the southern region of Daraa, where about 20 people also were wounded when security forces fired at mourners. There were five deaths in Hama, in the west, four in the Damascus suburbs and two in Homs, also in the west, the Local Coordination Committees said.





The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency, meanwhile, reported the killings of two law enforcement members in Hama, the injuries of two in Daraa and the arrests of 10 "terrorists" in Idlib province.





CNN is not able to independently verify claims of fighting and casualties because the Syrian government has restricted international media access to the country.





Well over 3,500 people have been killed and thousands have been jailed in cities across the country, according to U.N. estimates. French and Turkish officials have been outspoken in their criticism of the Syrian regime's behavior, and some key international diplomats, such as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, said Thursday that the ongoing attacks on government buildings in Syria "look like a civil war."





News agencies have been quoting Juppe as saying it is "too late" for Syria to make the reforms the regime has promised. At the same time, he urged opposition protesters to shun
Cairo ( CNN ) -- Syria has accepted " in principle " an Arab League plan to permit observers into the country to verify whether the regime has taken measures to protect civilians , a senior Arab diplomat said Friday . Questions remained , however , about the exact nature of the mission , if it proceeds . Originally , 500 observers were believed to be destined for Syria , but U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Friday afternoon that the proposed number had been reduced to 40 . Syria requested amendments to the plan Thursday night , a day after Arab league representatives approved it , the Cairo - based regional alliance said on its website . Nabil el - Araby , secretary - general of the Arab League , said the league is studying the letter from Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al - Moallem that included changes regarding the protocol and duties of the observers . Eighteen of the alliance 's 22 member nations voted to suspend Syria 's membership in the league on Saturday . But the group , which met again in Rabat , Morocco , on Wednesday , gave Damascus three days to implement a protocol to allow observers to enter the nation . " Our mission will be to portray the truth about the nature of the injuries ( and ) numbers of casualties and assess the hospitals , to see what they need and how well - prepared they are to accommodate the injured , " said Dr. Ibrahim Zafarani , a former member of the Muslim Brotherhood and founding member of the Arab Doctors Association who said he 'd volunteered to be an observer . It is the latest diplomatic effort to resolve the crisis in Syria . International pressure has been mounting on President Bashar al - Assad over his regime 's bloody crackdown on pro - democracy protesters , amid concerns that violence in Syria is escalating . World support and confidence in the Syrian regime have continued to dwindle in recent weeks . France 's top diplomat called the state of affairs in embattled Syria " no longer tenable " Friday and wants the U.N. Security Council to step up and grapple with the eight - month - long crisis in the turbulent Arab nation . " Despite all the calls that were made to that regime " for peaceful initiatives to end the raging street violence , French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said in the Turkish capital of Ankara , " the regime did not want to know anything . Still this morning , in the north of Syria , several villages were bombarded by the Syrian army . " British Foreign Secretary William Hague will meet Monday with representatives from the Syrian National Council and National Coordinating Committee for Democratic Change , two groups opposed to President Bashar al - Assad 's government , a foreign office spokeswoman said Friday . The Local Coordination Committees of Syria , another activist group , said that at least 19 people were killed Friday by security forces and the army , among them four children . This is in addition to 26 killed by security forces Thursday , on top of scores killed earlier in the week , according to the organization . Eight people were killed in the southern region of Daraa , where about 20 people also were wounded when security forces fired at mourners . There were five deaths in Hama , in the west , four in the Damascus suburbs and two in Homs , also in the west , the Local Coordination Committees said . The state - run Syrian Arab News Agency , meanwhile , reported the killings of two law enforcement members in Hama , the injuries of two in Daraa and the arrests of 10 " terrorists " in Idlib province . CNN is not able to independently verify claims of fighting and casualties because the Syrian government has restricted international media access to the country . Well over 3,500 people have been killed and thousands have been jailed in cities across the country , according to U.N. estimates . French and Turkish officials have been outspoken in their criticism of the Syrian regime 's behavior , and some key international diplomats , such as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov , said Thursday that the ongoing attacks on government buildings in Syria " look like a civil war . " News agencies have been quoting Juppe as saying it is " too late " for Syria to make the reforms the regime has promised . At the same time , he urged opposition protesters to shun
When did Syria offer amendments
When did Syria offer amendments
Thursday night,
Thursday night,