More Quotes
We are going to get together as many people as possible and show solidarity with those people whose situation is much worse in terms of housing, health, employment, everything, than for those living in Gush Dan. Government has always neglected these areas and we want to show that we aren‘t neglecting them too.
It would be much, much better for the people of Syria, and Syria would be better off, without Assad. The United States is working together with its international partners to bring greater pressure to bear on the Syrian regime through further coordinated diplomatic and financial measures. We are also working with our partners to stem the flow of the weapons and ammunition that Syrian security forces, under Assad‘s authority, continue to use against peaceful protesters.
Social protest is an important and exciting phenomenon. We must listen to them about changing priorities and strengthening the middle class and the poor.
I condemn the violence against Syrian citizens in Hama, Deir e-Zour and other cities that shows no signs of ending. Hama and Deir eZour have been under siege for days by regime forces who have reportedly even used an anti-aircraft gun. This brutality exposes the regime‘s claims to be committed to a reform process as an utter sham.
I deplore the arrest of the political activist Walid al-Bunni and his two sons. Their arrest show the regime‘s disregard for meaningful dialogue. I call on the authorities to release them immediately.
We must not watch in silence while hundreds are killed and thousands more detained and tortured. I therefore welcome the strong condemnation by countries across the Arab world and Turkey of the regime‘s actions and am urgently working with partners on increasing the pressure further on President Assad and those around him. I discussed this with German Foreign Minister Westerwelle today.
I‘m attentive to the protest, but we can‘t satisfy everyone. We‘ll listen to everyone. We‘ll act sensitively and responsibly … We‘ll conduct a real dialogue. We won‘t present lip-service solutions; we want to bring real solutions. In the end, we‘ll be judged on our practical solutions.
Regrettably, large numbers of people are dying there. That causes us grave concern. That‘s why both on a personal level and in the letters I sent to him (Assad) I have emphasized that it‘s necessary to urgently conduct reforms, negotiate with the opposition, restore civil peace, and create a modern state…If he fails to do that, he will face a sad fate. And in the end we will also have to make some decisions. We are watching how the situation is developing. It‘s changing, and our approach is changing as well.