JORDAN: Syrian expatriates in neighbouring Jordan welcome news that U.S. President Barack Obama has, for the first time, called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down

Record ID: 278914

  • Title: JORDAN: Syrian expatriates in neighbouring Jordan welcome news that U.S. President Barack Obama has, for the first time, called on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down
  • Date: 19th August 2011
  • Summary: AMMAN, JORDAN (AUGUST 18, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SYRIAN FAMILY AT HOME MAN WATCHING TV
  • Embargoed: 3rd September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Jordan, Jordan
  • Country: Jordan
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7NZVC8QC100PD6O41BVOQ9O2K
  • Story Text: Syrian exiles in Jordan on Thursday (August 18) welcomed international pressure on the Syrian regime, after the White House called on President Bashar al Assad to step down, following months of popular uprising against his rule.
    President Barack Obama also froze all Syrian government assets in the United States and banned U.S. imports of Syrian oil products.
    Mohammad Abdul Hameed, a Syrian dissident from the city of Hama, said Obama speech was welcome, although it came too late to save many lives.
    "We have listened to the Obama speech and we welcome it; although it came late in the day, it is better than not coming at all. Many lives could have been saved it they (the U.S. and international community) had moved sooner, but we do welcome the speech and we ask for more action," he said.
    The U.S. moves are intended to ratchet up pressure on Assad, who has used his military and security forces to attack protesters seeking an end to four decades of authoritarian rule by the Syrian president and his late father, Hafez al-Assad.
    Exile Lubna Munir lamented the delayed pressure on al Assad regime.
    "The people of Syria have been bleeding for five months and now they (the international community) remember. When the revolt against (Egyptian President Hosni) Mubarak took place, all sides pressured him. The … world moved within two weeks, but for Syria, it took five months. However, we welcome this and we demand more," said Munir.
    While the United States has previously called for Assad to embark on democratic reforms or to get out of the way, Obama's statement marks the first explicit call for him to go and seems to reflect a U.S. conclusion that he is incapable of reform.
    The U.S. sanctions and demand for Assad's exit were followed by a call from Britain, France and Germany -- three of the European Union's leading powers -- for Assad to go.
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