The Arab League said it would send 500 observers to Syria to protect civilians against months of brutal attacks from regime supporters and security forces and Turkey said it will take a "decisive attitude" over attacks on its diplomatic missions in Syria.

Jordan's King Abdallah said that Assad should step down, making him the first Arab ruler to issue such a call. "If Bashar (Assad) has the interest of his country, he would step down, but he would also create an ability to reach out and start a new phase of Syrian political life," Abdallah told the BBC in an interview.

European Union governments agreed to extend sanctions against Syria to 18 more individuals associated with the violent crackdown, but signaled Western military action against the government was unlikely.

EU foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels, also approved plans to stop Syria accessing funds from the European Investment Bank, in a bid to crank up economic pressure against Assad.

The Arab League decision to send the delegation — made up of human rights groups, media and military observers — came after a meeting at the Arab League headquarters aimed at studying measures to protect civilians in Syria.

The 22-member Arab bloc voted Saturday to suspend Syria from all League activities over its failure to implement a deal to end the violence which has left over 3,500 dead since March, according to UN figures.

Earlier Monday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem accused Arab states of conspiring against Damascus, calling Saturday's vote "shameful and malicious."

The vote was a stinging rebuke to a regime that prides itself as a bastion of Arab nationalism and left Syria increasingly isolated over its crackdown.

Turkey formally protested the weekend attacks on its missions in Turkey, evacuated families of diplomats and nonessential staff and issued a warning to Turks against traveling to Syria.