US condemns violence in Syria and Yemen

Washington, March 26, 2011

Strongly condemning the violence against demonstrators in Syria and Yemen, the Obama Administration has urged leaders of the two countries to pursue political dialogue to resolve the current crisis.

The Obama Administration "urges the leaders of these countries to pursue peace (and) political dialogue with broad swaths of their country," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters on Friday.

"We strongly condemn the Syrian government's attempts to repress and intimidate demonstrators, and we are calling for an immediate cease to the violence and killings of civilians at the hands of the Syrian security forces. It's the same position we've taken throughout the region, and we condemn it strongly," he said.

Carney said the US urges upon the Syrian government to pursue a non-violent path and political dialogue because stability and future of the region depends upon the decision by governments to listen to their people and to act on their legitimate aspirations.

"We ask the governments to open up their systems so that the people of these nations can have a greater stake in the future of their country and their own futures," he said.

The US is also deeply troubled by the arbitrary arrests of human rights activists in Syria and urged them to cease that practice, Carney said, adding that the US has said to the leadership in Yemen that it is not acceptable to use violence against peaceful protesters.

"We condemn that. We urge upon the leaders of these countries the idea that they pursue peaceful political dialogue with the broad swath of their -- representatives of the people of their countries to respond to -- there is a reason for these protests, and to hear them and respond to them and to reform accordingly.

"That's our position in Yemen. It's our position across the region," Carney said.

The spokesperson said US is working with governments in the region, advising them on what it thinks they should do, the right course of action, the political dialogue, the non-violent response to these protests.

Source: Press Trust Of India