Syria slams 'intefering' US, Turkey mounts pressure

Damascus on Saturday strongly condemned Washington after the U.S. State Department advised Syrians against surrendering following an amnesty for those who give up weapons. “The American administration disclosed again its blatant interference in Syria’s internal affairs, and its policy which supports killing, in addition to its funding of the terrorist groups in Syria,” SANA state news agency said citing a foreign ministry official. Syria’s interior ministry announced an amnesty on Friday for people who surrender their weapons between Saturday and November 12 in a concession to mark the Eid al-Adha feast, state television reported. The State Department advised Syrians against surrendering to President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. “I wouldn’t advise anybody to turn themselves in to regime authorities at the moment,” said spokeswoman Victoria Nuland, adding Asad’s regime had so far failed to live up to a deal to end eight months of violence struck on Wednesday. “This would be about the fourth amnesty that they’ve offered since I took this job about five months ago,” she told reporters. “So we’ll see if it has any more traction than it's had in the past.” SANA, citing the ministry official, said Syria “condemns these irresponsible statements which only aim at inciting sedition, supporting the acts of killing and the terrorism practiced by the armed groups against the Syrian citizens.” “The Syrian government calls on the international community to stand against these policies which contradict with the provisions of the international law and the U.N. Security Council's resolutions related to combating terrorism and financing it,” added the English-language report. Meanwhile, Turkey is hardening its stance against former ally Syria, laying the ground for Syrian dissidents including army defectors and readying to announce new measures against Damascus. “We cannot remain a mere bystander” to the developments unfolding in Syria, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in Berlin during an official visit on Wednesday. “We believe it is necessary to implement certain sanctions” against Asad’s regime, whose crackdown on protests has claimed more than 3,000 lives since mid-March, according to the United Nations, he said. Erdogan however did not elaborate on what kind of sanctions he was mulling against his former “friend” Bashar. Turkey had enjoyed good relations with its neighbor before the uprising began, holding joint cabinet meetings, abolishing visas and fostering trade. Erdogan had been expected to announce sanctions as early as October on a planned visit to Syrian refugee camps, but escalating Kurdish rebel attacks and a devastating earthquake which killed more than 600 in Turkey's east put them on hold. Syrian security forces killed at least 25 people and wounded dozens as they cracked down on protests after Friday prayers, activists said, casting doubt on whether an Arab League plan can end months of bloodshed.