Arab states have agreed on addressing yet a fresh call upon Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad urging him to step down from power hastily in return for ensuring "safe exist" for him and his family, the Qatari Prime Minister has announced.

This is the first time the Arab League Council makes an explicitly and candid call on President Assad to step down, said Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Al-Thani, also the Foreign Minister of Qatar and the head of the Arab committee tasked with the Syrian issue, talking to journalists following a meeting of the commission, held here late on Sunday.

The conferees also called on the Syrian opposition and the Free Syrian Army to form an interim government, he added.

In answer to journalists' question, Sheikh Hamad acknowledged that the call on the Syrian leader to leave office might be opposed by some Arab states, but he stressed "such a step will be a bold one and won't mean a getaway and there is no need to keep the country burning for sake of a person or a number of persons." "I am sure President Al-Assad has patriotic senses to take such a courageous decision," the Qatari official added, re-stressing that the Syrian leader should take such a move for sake of saving his country and people and halt the blood-shedding and chias.

He also affirmed that the Arab states would ensure safety of President Al-Assad in case he opted to step down and allow other political forces take over power and establish new ruling in the country.

Asked about reports that Al-Assad had secretly asked an Arab state to play a mediation role for him to ensure his safe exit from Syria along with his family, Sheikh Hamad said, "I do not have information in this respect and what we have requested that he leave rapidly in exchange for safe exist."

On stances of Russia and China on the crisis, Sheikh Hamad said he would visit the two countries, in his capacity as the head of the Arab committee tasked with the Syrian question, to discuss with the Russian and Chinese leaders ways of persuading the Syrian president to relinquish power and halt the bloodletting in the country.

Asked about scenarios in case Al-Assad refused to leave office, the Qatari premier and foreign minister said that it would be up to the Syrian people to determine their destiny.