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World alarmed at violence in Syria

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 18:03 GMT

Source: reuters // Reuters

(Adds reaction from Sweden)

Aug 18 (Reuters) - Criticism is growing around the world of the Syrian government's crackdown on pro-democracy protestors.

Here are recent comments from major players.

* UNITED STATES: President Barack Obama on Thursday for the first time called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down after the crackdown by Syrian forces on demonstrations against his family's 41-year reign. "For the sake of the Syrian people, the time has come for President Assad to step aside."

-- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said: "The people of Syria deserve a government that respects their dignity, protects their rights and lives up to their aspirations. Assad is standing in their way."

* BRITAIN, FRANCE AND GERMANY: "We call on him to draw the consequences of the total rejection of his regime by the Syrian people and to leave power, for the greater interest of Syria and the unity of his people," the leaders of the three countries said in a joint statement on Thursday.

* UNITED NATIONS: In a telephone call with Assad on Aug. 17, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon joined a chorus of condemnation. "The Secretary-General emphasised that all military operations and mass arrests must cease immediately," a U.N. statement said. "President Assad said that the military and police operations had stopped."

-- In its first substantive action on the uprising, the U.N. Security Council on Aug. 3 issued a statement saying it "condemns widespread violations of human rights and the use of force against civilians by the Syrian authorities".

-- Separately, U.N. investigators said on Thursday Syria's crackdown on anti-government protesters might be grounds for prosecutions for crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC). They said they had evidence against 50 suspects. "The mission found a pattern of human rights violations that constitutes widespread or systematic attacks against the civilian population, which may amount to crimes against humanity," their report said.

SWEDEN: Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt told Reuters: "We are now trying to increase the pressure. We are now saying that President Assad has to step aside. He has exhausted his legitimacy and his credibility in that the repression and the violence have continued." He added EU officials would discuss further sanctions on Friday. "I am of the opinion that there are very strong causes for this (oil export sanctions)."

* SWITZERLAND: "The actions of the Syrian security forces are not acceptable. For this reason, the FDFA has recalled the Swiss Ambassador in Damascus to Berne for consultations," the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs said in a statement also on Thursday.

* SAUDI ARABIA: King Abdullah said on Aug. 7 that Syria's military crackdown had "nothing to do with religion, or values, or ethics." Abdullah said: "Syria should think wisely before it's too late and issue and enact reforms. Either it chooses wisdom on its own or it will be pulled down into the depths of turmoil and loss." He also recalled his ambassador from Syria.

* TURKEY: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu asked Assad to halt military operations or face unspecified consequences. "This is our final word to the Syrian authorities, our first expectation is that these operations stop immediately and unconditionally," Davutoglu said.

* PLO: PLO Secretary General Yasser Abed Rabbo said: "Shelling is taking place (in Latakia) using gunships and tanks on houses built from tin, on people who have no place to run to or even a shelter to hide in. This is a crime against humanity."

* BAHRAIN: Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled al-Khalifa said on Aug. 8: "Bahrain has summoned its ambassador for consultation and stresses the importance of prudent action".

* JORDAN: Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit called on Aug. 15 for an immediate end to Syria's crackdown. "There is a need to stop violence immediately, start implementing reforms and resort to dialogue," Bakhit was quoted by the state news agency Petra as telling his Syrian counterpart Adel Safar.

* KUWAIT: Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed al-Sabah said On Aug. 8, "When the number of innocent people killed exceeds 2,000, it is something totally unacceptable," he said. Kuwait recalled its ambassador from Syria for consultation.

* RUSSIA: President Dmitry Medvedev made an appeal to Assad on Aug. 4. "He needs to urgently carry out reforms, reconcile with the opposition, restore peace and set up a modern state," Medvedev said in an interview with Russian media. "If he fails to do this, he will face a sad fate." (Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit; Editing by Maria Golovnina)