Dozens killed in Syria as Jordan king tells Assad to go
King Abdullah's comments came in an exclusive BBC interview
Dozens of people are reported to have died in continuing unrest across Syria, as the king of neighbouring Jordan urged President Assad to stand down.
In one incident, about 20 troops were killed in a clash with army defectors in a southern town near the Jordan border, activists say.
Earlier, King Abdullah became the first leader to openly urge Mr Assad to quit.
He told the BBC that if he were in Mr Assad's position, he would start talks to ensure an orderly transition.
"I would step down and make sure whoever comes behind me has the ability to change the status quo that we're seeing," King Abdullah stated in an exclusive interview with BBC World News television.
He said: "If Bashar [al-Assad] has the interest of his country [at heart] he would step down, but he would also create an ability to reach out and start a new phase of Syrian political life.
life.
"That's the only way I would see it work and I don't think people are asking that question."
Continue reading the main story
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Whenever you exert violence on your own people, it is never going to end well”
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King Abdullah
Key quotes
King Abdullah added: "Whenever you exert violence on your own people, it is never going to end well."
Many Arab leaders have condemned the crackdown on months of protests in Syria. Dozens of deaths have been reported in the latest unrest on Monday.
The Arab League voted on Saturday to suspend Syria's membership.
A Syrian spokeswoman in Washington, Roua Sharbaji, told the BBC that Syria expected neighbouring Arab states to adopt a more constructive role in helping to solve the crisis.
The UN says more than 3,500 people have died since the start of the protests in March. The Syrian authorities blame the violence on armed gangs and militants.
In the latest violence, the Local Co-ordination Committees - a network of opponents to President Assad's rule - said 51 civilians had been killed on Monday, including 21 in the restive southern province of Deraa and 13 in the city of Homs.
In a separate report, Reuters news agency quotes activists as saying 40 people were killed in the town of Khirbet Ghazaleh near the border with Jordan.
The activists say about half were members of the security forces killed by defectors from the army.
Such claims are impossible to verify as the Syrian government has severely restricted access for foreign journalists.
Defiance
Many Western powers have urged President Assad to stand down. Both the EU and the US have said he has lost legitimacy but have ruled out military intervention.
On Monday, the European Union on Monday tightened its sanctions on Syria.
EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels added 18 Syrian officials to a list of people affected by a travel ban and asset freeze. This brings to 74 the number of President Assad's inner circle who have been blacklisted.
The ministers also approved the freezing of loans to Syria from the European Investment Bank.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said he hoped the UN would finally impose its own sanctions on Syria.
Russia and China last month vetoed a Western-sponsored UN Security Council resolution condemning Damascus.
The US welcomed the moves by the Arab League and the EU.
"We're going to continue to consult not only with the Arab League, but also with the EU and our other partners as we move forward in trying to find ways to increase the pressure on Assad," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters.
Earlier on Monday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem reacted defiantly to the Arab League's suspension. He said the decision was illegal and vowed to overcome "conspiracies" against Damascus.
The Arab League is set to hold another meeting to discuss Syria on Wednesday.
Russia on Monday condemned the suspension. "Someone really does not want the Syrians to agree among themselves," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in Moscow.
Your comments (2)
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Analysis
Lyse Doucet
BBC News
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King Abdullah's remarks, coupled with the Arab League's decision to suspend Damascus, mark a turning point in the Arab world's approach to Syria.
But Jordan's monarch was emphatic that President Assad stepping down was not enough. His call to the Syrian leader was about changing a "system". He admitted that no-one was clear how to do that, and the Syrian regime still believed it was "in a fairly comfortable position".
King Abdullah, like many others, also emphasised there was great concern about "life after Bashar". He warned that any outside intervention in Syria would open "Pandora's box".
The relationship between two Arab leaders, seen as a new generation when they took over from their fathers, has been under growing strain. But King Abdullah said he still believed the Syrian leader had "reform in his blood". He had reached out to him earlier this year, even if, as he admitted, Jordan was not "by any means... a perfect story".
Growing foreign pressure
.10 June: Turkish PM condemns the "savagery" of the response to the unrest
.19 July: Qatar closes its embassy in Damascus after an attack by Assad loyalists
.8 August: Saudi Arabia condemns crackdown and recalls its envoy in Damascus
.10 August: US imposes new sanctions on Syrian telecom companies and banks
.18 August: US, UK, Germany and France call on President Assad to step down; US imposes full ban on oil imports
.12 November: Arab League suspends Syria from the organisation
.14 November: Jordanian king openly urges Mr Assad to go; EU tightens sanctions
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2 COMMENTS
2.Losat76
14 Minutes ago
Like father, like son.
1.Jeff Smith
17 Minutes ago
The writing is on the wall. Another oppressive Arab dictator is about to fall, and it's obvious he doesn't care how much his people suffer as he fights to stay on the gravy train.
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