Syria has called for an emergency summit of Arab League heads of state next Wednesday, in an apparent attempt to thwart its decision to suspend Damascus for violently cracking down on protests.
But a day after the League suspended Syria and said it would impose sanctions, its secretary general said officials from the 22-member organisation of Arab states would also meet Syrian opposition representatives.
Syrian state television said the objective of its proposed summit would be to discuss the "negative repercussions on the Arab situation".
The Arab League's suspension of Syria's membership takes effect on 16 November and Syria's call for an emergency summit appears to be an attempt to avert that decision.
It was the Arab League's decision to suspend Libya's membership of the group that helped persuade the United Nations Security Council to back a NATO air campaign aiding revolutionaries who eventually ousted and killed Muammar Gaddafi.
The UN says 3,500 people have been killed in the pro-democracy protests which began in March.
Syria blames the unrest on "terrorists" and foreign-backed Islamist militants. It says 1,100 soldiers and police have been killed.
Activists say that Syrian security forces shot dead eight people who shouted slogans against President Bashar al-Assad at a rally that had been organised by authorities in the city of Hama today.
Meanwhile, Turkey has ordered the evacuation of families of diplomatic staff from Syria following attacks on its embassy in Damascus.
Broadcaster CNN Turk reported that diplomatic staff will remain in the country.
Yesterday, over 1,000 people attacked the Turkish embassy in Damascus, throwing stones and bottles before Syrian police intervened to break up the protest.
Attacks were also staged against Turkey's consulate in Aleppo and its honorary consulate in Latakia.
The attacks took place hours after the Arab League suspended Syria for failing to carry out a promise to halt its armed crackdown on eight-month-old pro-democracy demonstrations and open a dialogue with its opponents.
