EU, US Call for Assad to Step Down

A photo made available by the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) of Syrian President Bashar Assad meeting with members of the central committee of the Baath party and representatives of popular syndicates in Damascus, 17 Aug 2011. EPA/BGNES

EU Foreign Affairs High Representative Catherine Ashton and US President Barack Obama have separately issued demands Thursday that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad relinquish office.

Assad has been facing pro-democracy protests for 5 months now and has invited the anger of Western leaders by the excessive violence he used in quenching them.

"Assad has lost all legitimacy for the Syrian people and must leave power," said Ashton Thursday, adding that the EU will impose new sanctions on the Syrian regime.

In a joint declaration, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and UK PM David Cameron spoke out harshly against what they saw as the bloody repression of the Syrian people.

Almost simultaneously, American President Obama has said that Assad must leave since he has not installed adequate democratic reforms in his country.

"We explained that President Assad must effect a democratic transition or leave. He did not make this transition. In the interest of the Syrian people President Assad must step down," stated Obama.

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton also announced fresh sanctions aimed "straight at the heart" of the Syrian regime.

Just before those declarations Assad had informed UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon that all military actions against protesters have been stopped.

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