US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday urged Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to halt the violence against protesters by police and the army. Clinton said that a dialogue on more freedom in Syrian society must ensue, and that all citizens should be allowed freedom of speech and movement.
"The Syrian government must allow free movement and free access. It must stop the arbitrary arrests,detentions and torture of prisoners," she said, adding that the U.S. “strongly condemns the ongoing violence committed against peaceful protesters by the Syrian government. We also condemn any use of violence by protesters.”