Italy Closes Embassy in Syria, Repatriates Staff
Italy said Wednesday it was closing its embassy in Damascus and repatriating some staff to protest Syria's "unacceptable" crackdown on the opposition.
"Italy today suspended the activities of its embassy in Damascus and repatriated some personnel," the foreign ministry said in a communiqué.
"Considering the serious security conditions, we reassert our firm condemnation of the unacceptable acts of violence carried out by the Syrian regime against its citizens," it said.
The ministry said Italy would "continue to support the Syrian people and work towards a peaceful solution to the crisis, to guarantee fundamental rights and legitimate democratic ambitions."
"We fully support the efforts of the U.N. and Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan to achieve a total stop to the violence and allow access to humanitarian workers and start political dialogue," the statement said.
International mediator Annan met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus over the weekend and made "concrete" proposals on ways to halt the 12-month crisis that has killed more than 8,500 people according to activists.
Amnesty International on Wednesday alleged dissenters captured by the regime faced a "nightmarish world of systematic torture."
Britain, France, Spain and the United States have also closed their embassies in Damascus since the start of the violence.
Source: Agence France Presse
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