Saudi pulls ambassador from Syria, denounces violence

It was the sharpest criticism the oil giant -- an absolute monarchy that bans political opposition -- has directed against any Arab state since a wave of protests roiled the Middle East and toppled autocrats in Tunisia and Egypt.

The Saudi statement came with all the weight of the king's personal authority, and follows similar statements since Saturday from the Arab League and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

"What is happening in Syria is not acceptable for Saudi Arabia," he said in a written statement read out on Al Arabiya satellite television.

Events in Syria had "nothing to do with religion, or values, or ethics", the king said.

A crackdown by Syria's President Bashar al-Assad against protests has become one of the most violent episodes in the wave of unrest sweeping through the Arab world this year.

On Sunday, activists said Syrian troops with tanks had launched an assault on the city of Deir al-Zor in the east of the country, killing dozens. The past week has seen scores of people killed in a siege of Hama, a city where Assad's father launched a crackdown nearly 30 years ago, killing thousands.

Assad's government says it is fighting against criminals and armed extremists who have provoked violence by attacking its troops. Activists and Western countries say Assad's forces have attacked peaceful protesters.

"Syria should think wisely before it's too late and issue and enact reforms that are not merely promises but actual reforms," the Saudi king said.

"Either it chooses wisdom on its own or it will be pulled down into the depths of turmoil and loss."

See http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/ for full version.