More pressure on Syrian middle class

While the UN Security Council met to discuss tougher measures against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday, his regime continued its violent campaign against the opposition. The left-liberal daily Politiken calls for more international pressure to be exerted on Syria's middle class, which remains loyal to the regime: "Already existing sanctions should be intensified and modified in order to affect most those who are loyal to the president. The last remaining moderate forces of the middle class and the business world must be encouraged to turn their backs on the regime and join the rebellion. And it must be made clear to the rest that in the end they will be held responsible for the attacks against the civilian population. It is good news that the UN Security Council has finally agreed on the lowest common denominator and condemned the violence. But it also needs to adopt a harsher tone. And in view of Russia's hardening posture it will also become difficult for China to continue blocking a more active UN stance."

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