Syria blames crisis on conspiracies

Syria's Foreign Minister, Walid al-Moualem, has said that the Arab League decision to suspend his country is illegal and vowed that Damascus will overcome "conspiracies" against it.

Mr Moualem said Syria did not deny that it faced a crisis, but the government was committed to dialogue and reform to end the bloodshed on its streets.

More than 2,200 people have died in five months of protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.