U.S. Mulls More Sanctions on Syria, Hopes for Strong U.N. Signal

The United States on Monday weighed possible further sanctions against Damascus as it hoped for "a strong and unified message" from the U.N. Security Council over the deadly crackdown in Syria.

"We've issued now several sets of sanctions against (President Bashar) Assad and his regime," State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner told reporters.

"That continues to be an option that we're looking at as we consider next steps, including, as has been mentioned before, sanctions on oil and gas," Toner said.

Toner also looked for tougher action from the U.N. Security Council, which was due to meet later Monday in New York.

"Certainly we think it's important that they send a strong and unified message to Assad and his regime. But I can't predict what's going to come out of it yet," he added.

Europe and the United States will make a new attempt Monday to force the U.N. Security Council to condemn Assad's deadly crackdown in Syria, diplomats said.

But the 15-nation council remains divided over how to react to the Syria bloodshed, with Western nations demanding tough action, but China and Russia threatening to veto any formal resolution.

The council scheduled closed consultations for 2100 GMT following widespread condemnation of the latest violence in which about 140 people were killed on Sunday, many in the key protest city of Hama.