UK weighs further action against Syria

Britain said on Tuesday it was working with its international partners on possible further measures against Syria and called on Syria's President Bashar Assad to stop attacks on anti-government protesters.

"The United Kingdom is working intensively with our international partners to persuade the Syrian authorities to stop the violence and respect basic and universal human rights to freedoms of expression and assembly," Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague said.

"This includes working with our partners on the United Nations Security Council to send a strong signal to the Syrian authorities that the eyes of the international community are on Syria, and with our partners in the European Union and the region on possible further measures."

The Obama administration is considering a range of options against the government of Bashar Assad, including possible sanctions on senior officials, to pressure it to halt a violent crackdown, a US official said on Monday.

The measures could include a freeze on assets and a ban on business dealings in the United States, the official said. There was no immediate word on when such sanctions might be imposed.

At least 11 people were killed Monday when troops raided the city of Daraa, where the uprising started last month. Rights groups say the crackdown since mid-March has killed more than 350 people.

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