Italy Says Syrian Reform Announcements 'Lack Credibility'

The Syrian regime's promises of democratic reforms lack any credibility as long as a violent crackdown on protests in the country continues, Italy's foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.

"Only an immediate end to violence by Syrian authorities and the start of peaceful dialogue with the opposition and civil society can lend coherence to announcements of reform initiatives or future elections," it said.

"Without an end to the violent repression these announcements lack any credibility," it said, stressing Italy's "firm condemnation of the stubborn continuation of repression by the regime of (Syrian President Bashar) al-Assad."

Italy earlier this month announced the recall of its ambassador from Damascus.

Gulf states called back their envoys on Monday and Sunni Islam's top authority urged an end to the crisis in Syria, increasing Assad's regional isolation.

Syria on Sunday vowed to hold "free and transparent" elections later this year and last week it issued a decree allowing opposition political parties, but the moves were widely dismissed as a ploy to appease protesters.