Diplomats at the UN Security Council have watered down a resolution on Syria in an apparent attempt to overcome Russian objections to an earlier draft, BBC reported.

The revised text drops the call for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to hand over powers to his deputy - the key part of a peace plan proposed by the Arab League. It also removes a reference to stopping the flow of arms to Syria.

The Russians argued that the Arab plan imposed regime change.

Ambassadors began intense negotiations on Wednesday, February 1 after a high-level meeting urging the Council to back an Arab plan to end the crisis.

Diplomatic sources say Western states appear to support the new text - drawn up by Morocco - on condition that it gets a yes vote from Russia, rather than an abstention.

Human rights groups and activists say more than 7,000 people have been killed by Syrian security forces since the uprising began in March.

Security forces closed public squares and set up checkpoints on Thursday, February 2 in the flashpoint central city of Hama. It came after protesters splashed red paint in the streets to mark 30 years since an uprising there was crushed by Mr Assad's father Hafez, with the deaths of at least 10,000 people.

Mr Assad's forces have been fighting back against rebels - in recent days claiming back suburbs of Damascus and areas north-west of the capital.