DAMASCUS, Syria, Sept. 7 (UPI) -- Syria announced that it asked the secretary-general of the Arab League to delay his scheduled visit to the country.
Arab-League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi was scheduled to visit Syria, presumably this week. The official Syrian Arab News Agency, however, said Damascus has asked Arabi to postpone the visit for "objective reasons he was informed of."
The SANA report said a new time would be specified later, suggesting the visit wasn't canceled.
The postponement follows a visit by Jakob Kellenberger, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, who met with Syrian President Bashar Assad following a visit to the central prison in Damascus.
Kellenberger said Syrian authorities granted the ICRC access to detainees held by the Interior Ministry but hoped to gain access to all prisoners in the future.
Damascus is facing international isolation because of its crackdown on groups protesting Assad's regime. The United Nations estimates that more than 2,500 people have been killed by Syrian security forces since the uprising began early this year.
The Arab League in August had called on Damascus to adhere to the series of reforms outlined by the Assad regime.
U.S. Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford said the international community doubted Assad was even capable of enacting true reforms.
