William Hague condemns Syria as protestors attack embassies

The Foreign Secretary spoke out after security forces launched a sustained barrage of mortars and artillery against the city of Homs overnight - and appealed for international unity.

A Security Council vote on draft resolution supporting an Arab-led call for President Bashar al-Assad to step down is scheduled for this afternoon but has faced resistance from Russia.

Mr Hague said it was time for countries to stop giving “shelter” to the regime after the assault on Homs - which has been at the centre of 11 months of protests.

“The Syrian regime’s actions display President Assad’s cold-blooded cynicism in the face of mounting international pressure for the UN Security Council to do its utmost to end the bloodshed.

“The escalating violence underlines the critical importance of the UN Security Council adding its weight to the Arab League’s efforts to end the crisis in Syria,” he said.

“The time is long past for the international community, particularly those that have so far sheltered the Assad regime, to intensify the pressure to end over 10 months of violence.”

Mr Hague said it was “all the more chilling” that the latest casualties were sustained on the 30th anniversary of the Hama massacre.

Around 20,000 people died in the 1982 operation by the Syrian army - then under the command of President Assad’s father.

“I condemn unequivocally the use of tanks, mortars and artillery in civilian areas,” Mr Hague said.

There were six arrests this morning amid protests at the Syrian embassy in London.

Windows were reportedly smashed at the building as the protest broke out.

The Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “Officers are at the scene and appropriate policing is in place.

“Five males gained entry to the building. They have now been arrested.”

It comes as the United Nations Security Council prepares to meet today to take up a much-negotiated resolution backing an Arab League peace plan for Syria.

At least 5,500 people have died in the country since pro-democracy campaigners took to the streets last year protesting against Mr Assad’s regime.

The movement at the UN came as activists said Syrian forces used tanks and machine guns to kill at least 200 people and wound hundreds in Homs, in what appeared to be the bloodiest episode since the uprising began.

The move towards a vote came after US secretary of state Hillary Clinton spoke by telephone with Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov in a bid to overcome Russian opposition to any statement that explicitly calls for regime change or military intervention in Syria.

Western powers have ruled out military action but want the world body to endorse an Arab League plan that calls on the president to hand power over to Syria’s vice president.

According to a State Department spokesman, Mrs Clinton and Mr Lavrov agreed that American and Russian diplomats would continue work on a Syria resolution and were planning to meet for more talks over the weekend.

Russia’s deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov said Moscow could not support the resolution in its current form, but expressed optimism that an agreement could be reached, state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

Earlier this week, Foreign Secretary William Hague made an impassioned plea for the UN to support moves to bring a peaceful resolution to the unrest.

At the security council in New York, he said the risk of civil war was intensifying and the threat to the stability of the region growing.

Mr Hague said: “With each day that passes, finding a way back from the brink will be harder and innocent lives will be needlessly and wrongfully lost, deaths which this council could help to avert by acting in a united manner.”