Germany Urges Firmer U.N. Line on Syria

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday that Berlin wanted the United Nations to take a firmer line on Syria's attacks on civilians after nearly eight months of deadly violence.

Merkel told reporters after talks with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that they agreed in "condemning the human rights violations occurring in Syria".

"We are also calling -- at least I said for Germany -- that we would like to see stronger condemnation by the United Nations," she said.

Erdogan said that developments in Syria "can in no way be accepted" in which the regime "is killing its own people".

"There must be specific sanctions, we must enact measures -- we cannot simply look on," he said, noting Turkey's "very close ties and cultural contacts" with the Syrian people.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday demanded an immediate end to the Syrian government's crackdown on civilian pro-democracy protesters that has killed more than 3,000 people since mid-March, according to U.N. figures.

Arab foreign ministers met later Wednesday at the Arab League's Cairo headquarters to step up pressure on Syria, as 16 more civilians were reportedly killed in the country.

Germany, a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, has repeatedly joined western allies in calling for a harder line against Damascus but they have been thwarted by permanent members Russia and China.

The two countries last month vetoed a council resolution which had raised the prospect of potential measures against Damascus including sanctions while South Africa, Brazil and India abstained in the vote.