And in Bagdhdad, Arab foreign ministers yesterday called for the UN-backed plan to be put into action after Assad agreed to the proposal that urges an end to violence but does not demand the Syrian leader step down.

China and Russia also upped the pressure urging both their ally Syria and the opposition to honor commitments to halt armed conflict, which has claimed thousands of lives since it first erupted in March last year.

Moscow strongly urged the Syrian opposition to "follow the example" of the Damascus regime in supporting the mediation efforts of UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan to stop the bloodshed.

Arab foreign ministers thrashed out a resolution on Syria to be debated at a landmark Arab League summit today, even as Damascus warned it would not abide by any of its initiatives.

Arab leaders in Baghdad for an Arab League summit were expected to endorse the six-point proposal from Annan, which seeks a cease-fire and political dialogue in what Iraq called a "last chance" for Syria. Annan's proposal calls for the withdrawal of heavy weapons and troops from population centers, humanitarian assistance, the release of prisoners and free movement and access for journalists. But it does not hinge on Assad leaving office.

Arab states backed away from their initial proposal demanding that Assad step down after Russia and China vetoed UN draft resolutions condemning him.

"Syria's accepting the plan is a very important step," Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told Reuters in Baghdad. "This is the last chance for Syria and it must be implemented on the ground."

Zebari said the League would not accept foreign intervention in Syria. But Damascus responded that it would reject any initiatives made at the summit relating to Syria, according to the Lebanese TV channel Al-Manar.

The Arab League suspended Syria last year and has in the past called on Assad to step aside to allow talks. But members are split over how to handle increasing violence that threatens to inflame the region's complex ethnic and sectarian mix.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Syrian forces backed by tanks swept into the central Hama province town of Qalaat Al-Madiq and nearby villages after dawn on Wednesday after a siege lasting more than two weeks.

"Heavy clashes between regime forces and armed rebels are preventing the army from advancing," the Britain-based monitoring group said. "Intense gunfire and explosions can be heard in nearby villages."

At least four civilians caught in the crossfire were killed while four soldiers and four rebels also died in the fighting, the Observatory said.

Qalaat Al-Madiq, which the army has pounded for 17 straight days to root out rebels, is home to a historic castle that was shelled during the fighting, as seen in videos posted on YouTube.

Abu Ghazi, a local activist reached by Skype, said in Beirut that members of the rebel Free Syrian Army had withdrawn from the area because of the regular army's superior firepower.

The offensive is part of the regime's efforts to overrun rebel strongholds as it tries to crush an unprecedented yearlong revolt, which monitors say has killed almost 10,000 people. The UN say more than 9,000 have died.

Fierce clashes were also reported yesterday across the country, including in northwest Idlib province, central Homs and the southern province of Daraa, cradle of the yearlong revolt, the Observatory said. Political efforts to end the violence were in full gear yesterday.

"I urge President Assad to put commitments into immediate effect. There is no time to waste," Ban said in Kuwait before traveling to Baghdad.

He expressed concern at the continued bloodshed but welcomed Syria's acceptance of a plan to end the violence put forward by Annan as an "important initial step" toward ending the bloodshed. Ban said he would "meet key (Arab) leaders in Baghdad to discuss how the UN and Arab League states can work together in helping the joint special envoy's diplomatic efforts to get the six-point proposal implemented."

A copy of the draft resolution being debated by Arab foreign ministers in Baghdad urges the Syrian regime to "immediately stop all actions of violence and killing, protect Syrian civilians and guarantee the freedom of peaceful demonstrations for achieving demands of the Syrian people."

The text also calls on the Syrian government and all opposition factions "to deal positively with the envoy (Annan) by starting serious national dialogue."

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Al-Arabi said he expected today's summit to support Annan's proposals.

On Sunday, the Friends of Syria will gather in Istanbul for their second meeting since February in a bid to end the crisis, with the United States, France and numerous Arab countries due to attend.

Russia and China, which are both boycotting the event, have triggered international fury for vetoing two UN Security Council resolutions on Syria.