UN: Arab League mission to Syria must maintain impartiality.

Reacting to the skepticism that has been voiced about the Arab League mission to Syria and its leader, Sudanese general Mohammed al-Dabi, the United Nations said on Friday it was critical that the team's "independence and impartiality be fully preserved."

Spokesman Martin Nesirky urged the Arab League to "take all steps possible to ensure that its observer mission will be able to fulfil its mandate in accordance with international human rights law standards."

The world body was willing to give the League observers training on human rights monitoring, he added.