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UN statement on Syria "important", says U.S.

05 August 2011 02:13 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The U.S. State Department said on Thursday that the UN presidential statement condemning Syria’s use of force against civilians was "important", APA reports quoting Xinhua

"As you saw yesterday, the UN Security Council came out with a strong statement condemning that violence. It was important that they speak with one voice and we achieved that goal," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at a regular briefing.

UN Security Council on Wednesday adopted a presidential statement on Syria, condemning the "widespread violations of human rights and the use of force against civilians by the Syrian authorities."

Toner said the U.S. remained concerned by the violence "that’s being carried out on the people of Hama," where dozens were killed in recent clashes between the protesters and Syrian security forces.

He said the U.S. continued to look at additional sanctions to increase "both political and financial pressure" on the government led by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in order to "put a squeeze on his regime."

"So to constrain their revenue and to make it harder for them to carry out these kinds of assaults," he added.

The U.S. has been building up pressure on Syria in recent months, during which the U.S. has slapped several rounds of sanctions on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, his inner circle and assets controlled by the Syrian government.

On Sunday, U.S. President Barack Obama vowed that the U.S. will continue to increase pressure on Syria to isolate the Assad and his government.

The U.S. on Thursday imposed sanctions on Muhammad Hamsho, a member of the Syrian Parliament and prominent businessman, for serving as a front man in the interests of Assad and his brother Mahir.