U.S.: Violence isn’t the answer to grievances of Syrian people

The White House on Friday condemned Syria\'s violent crackdown on anti-government protesters and urged Syrian President Bashar Assad to promptly take concrete steps toward meaningful reform.

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Jewish Journal

April 1, 2011

The White House on Friday condemned Syria’s violent crackdown on anti-government protesters and urged Syrian President Bashar Assad to promptly take concrete steps toward meaningful reform.

“The Syrian government has an important opportunity to be responsive to the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people,” Jay Carney, spokesman for U.S. President Barack Obama, said in a statement. “Violence is not the answer to the grievances of the Syrian people.”

Assad announced limited steps toward reform this week, saying he was forming committees to look into civilian deaths and the possibility of replacing Syria’s despised emergency laws. At least 75 people have been killed in two weeks of demonstrations, including three on Friday.