CAPITALS, May 29 (KUNA) -- The United States and several European countries have expelled Syrian ambassadors from their countries in a coordinated protest to the ongoing crimes committed by the Syrian government against its people.
"In response to the May 25 massacre in the village of Houla, today the United States informed the Syrian Charge d'Affaires Zuheir Jabbour of his expulsion from the United States. He has 72 hours to leave the country. We took this action in coordination with partner countries including Australia, Canada, Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, France, and Germany", said State Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland in a statement.
Nuland affirmed that the US "holds the Syrian government responsible for this slaughter of innocent lives. This massacre is the most unambiguous indictment to date of the Syrian government's flagrant violations of its UN Security Council obligations under Resolutions 2042 and 2043 along with the regime's ongoing threat to peace and security".
"We encourage all countries to condemn the actions of the Assad regime through similar action", she pointed out.
In France, President Francois Hollande announced his decision to expel Syrian envoy Lamia Shakkur Tuesday morning and that the Syrian envoy would be notified of the order on Tuesday or Wednesday.
France hopes that the diplomatic action will increase pressure on the Syrian regime at a time when violence is growing and following the deaths of 108 people in Houla this weekend, half of them are children.
Italy followed the step of France and kicked out the Syrian Ambassador Khaddour Hassan and other embassy staff and declared him as "persona non grata.
" This step represented the "feelings of extreme discontent to the savage massacres conducted against the innocent Syrian people," said a statement of the Italian government.
Meanwhile, Germany announced Syria's ambassador, Radwan Loutfi, had 72 hours to leave the country.
Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Germany and its allies hope "that this unambiguous message does not fall on deaf ears in Damascus." "The Syrian regime bears responsibility for the terrible events in Houla," Westerwelle said in a statement.
He continued that his country will exert all international efforts to push for the UN Security Council to consider the situation in Syria again.
Spain, also, has given Syrian Ambassador Hussam Edin Aala and four other diplomats based in Madrid 72 hours to leave the country.
The Spanish Foreign Ministry described, in a statement, the hideous crimes committed in Syrian as "unacceptable." It called on the Syrian government to accept the peaceful solution provided by The UN/Arab League's Joint Special Envoy for Syria Kofi Annan to end this violence. (end) hnd.anj.md.jm.nfm KUNA 291848 May 12NNNN