People living in Syria's eastern Hasaka region are to be granted Syrian nationality by a decree from President Bashar al-Assad, according to state TV.

Many inhabitants of the region are Kurds, who make up about 10% of Syria's 22.5m population.

Kurds in Syria frequently complain of discrimination.

President Assad - who is under pressure from pro-democracy protests - met Kurdish leaders in the city of Hasaka on Tuesday to hear their demands.

But Kurdish leader Habib Ibrahim told Reuters news agency Syria's Kurds would continue a non-violent struggle for civic rights and democracy in spite of the decree.

"Our cause is democracy for the whole of Syria. Citizenship is the right of every Syrian.

"It is not a favour. It is not the right of anyone to grant," he said.