US 'encouraged' by tougher Arab stand on Syria
WASHINGTON: The United States said Monday that it was "encouraged, heartened" by a tougher stand from Arab countries toward Syria's deadly crackdown pro-democracy protesters.
"We are very much encouraged, heartened by the strong statements that we've seen over the weekend by the Arab League as well as by the Gulf Cooperation Council," State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said.
These are "further signs that the international community... is repulsed by the brutal action of the Syrian government," Toner told reporters.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, on Monday recalled their envoys from Damascus, a day after the 22-member Arab League calling for an end to the bloodshed.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last week that the United States would urge the Arabs and others to do more to press Syria to stop its deadly crackdown.
US officials have said a lack of consensus has meant that international action has been less robust in Syria than in Libya, where a NATO-led force has launched air strikes against Moamer Kadhafi's forces crushing the opposition.
Unlike in Syria, Arab League members have supported and actively participated in the no-fly zone imposed over Libya.
Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2011
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