Cairo, Ramadan 7, 1432, Aug 7, 2011, SPA -- The Secretary General of the Arab League, Dr. Nabil Al-Arabi expressed growing concern by the deteriorating security situation in Syria, resulting in dozens of civilian casualties and the destruction of many public and private enterprises. In a statement issued today, Al-Arabi said that the opportunity is still available to accomplish the reforms announced by President Bashar al-Assad as a response to the Syrian people's aspirations and their legitimate demands for freedom and change. He also called the Syrian authorities to immediately cease all acts of violence and security crackdowns and expedite the necessary steps in this direction to preserve the national unity of the Syrian people. --SPA 17:58 LOCAL TIME 14:58 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/916442