Washington: The United States has said that
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is "increasingly isolated" internationally, as a result of toughening Turkish and Arab
positions.
"With regard to the statements by Turkish President
(Abdullah) Gul, the Arab League`s very strong statement over
the weekend... Assad is increasingly isolated," State
Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said yesterday.
"The international community is increasingly speaking
with one voice in demanding an immediate end to the violence,"
she said.
The Syrian regime has sought to crush months of
pro-democracy protests with brutal force, killing more than
2,200 people since mid-March, according to the UN.
In an interview with the Anatolia news agency, Gul said
Turkey had lost "confidence" in the Syrian regime following
unfulfilled promises Assad had made to halt the onslaught.
Foreign ministers from the 22-member Arab League on
Saturday called for an "end to the spilling of blood and (for
Syria) to follow the way of reason before it is too late."
They also called for respecting "the right of the Syrian
people to live in security and of their legitimate aspirations
for political and social reforms."
Nuland said the United States was also focusing its
diplomatic efforts on obtaining punitive measures against
Syria from the United Nations.
"We`re also intensifying our work in New York with some
of our allies and partners on a new sanctions resolution. This
will be a matter of diplomatic priority over the coming days
and weeks," Nuland said.
PTI
