Britain and the US recalled their ambassadors to Damascus on Monday in protest at what the British foreign secretary, William Hague, called the "doomed" and "murderous" regime's violent behaviour towards its civilian population. The diplomatic crisis followed a morning in which at least 50 people were killed in attacks on the Syrian city of Homs, according to activists, including the bombardment of a field hospital in which 19 people were killed. Speaking in the House of Commons, Hague said of Assad's government: "There is no way it can recover its credibility internationally or with its own people." Hague recalled Britain's ambassador in Damascus, Simon Collis, to London for "consultations" on what he termed an "utterly unacceptable situation which demands a united international response". The foreign secretary also signalled the west would now scramble to explore alternative, non-UN routes in an attempt to halt the killing in Syria and prepare for a post-Bashar al-Assad future. As well as continuing support for the Arab League, Hague said the UK would intensify its contact with the Syrian opposition, and would back a new Arab-led group, Friends of Syria. "Britain will be a highly active member in setting up such a group with the broadest international support," he said. He described Russia's and China's vetoes of the United Nations security council resolution censuring Syria as a grave error of judgment and a betrayal that implicitly "left the door open" to further human rights abuses.
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