Germany, Italy Request Urgent UN Consultations on Syria

A TV grab taken from Al Arabiya channel on 31 July 2011 shows flames rising next to a military vehicle, at an unspecified location in Syria. Photo by BGNES

UN Security Council member Germany has requested that emergency talks be held Monday on the Syrian government's deadly offensive against protesters.

As India replaces Germany as president of the council on August 01, the country will gain the right to determine its agenda, according to the website of Irish public service broadcaster rte.ie.

German Spokesperson Alexander Eberl said he expected a meeting as soon as Monday afternoon.

Earlier on, Italy also called for emergency consultations at the UN Security Council on the worsening violence in Syria.

"We request that the United Nations Security Council hold an urgent meeting and adopt a very firm position," Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said in an interview with the public broadcaster RAI.

"There has been a horrible act of repression by the regime, leaving over 100 dead and causing serious damage to the capital", Fratini said, adding that "Italy is calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities".

It has been reported that at least 130 people were killed Sunday as the army moved to try to quell the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Syrian forces killed nearly 140 people on Sunday as the army moved to try to quell the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad.

Activists said the Hama crackdown was one of deadliest days in Syria since demonstrators first took to the streets on March 15 demanding democratic reforms before turning their wrath on the regime and calling for its ouster.

Reports of the brutal attack caused Britain, Germany, France and Turkey to officially condemn the violence while U.S. President Barack Obama said he was "appalled" by the bloody crackdown and vowed to step up pressure on President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

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