U.S. Says Stepping Up Contacts with 'Syrians Seeking Change'

The United States is stepping up contacts inside and outside Syria with Syrians who are seeking political change, a State Department spokeswoman said Thursday.

The move appeared to mark a toughening in the administration's stance toward Damascus as it escalates an internal crackdown on dissent with military sweeps on towns near the Turkish border.

Recalling that U.S. President Barack Obama had called on his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad to lead change or "get out of the way," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Assad appeared to have "made this choice in the negative."

Denouncing Assad's crackdown as "revolting," she said the United States was working at the United Nations and with allies like Turkey to increase the pressure and isolate the Syrian regime.

"We are also beginning now to increase our own contacts with those brave Syrians who stand for change and their universal rights, those inside Syria and those outside Syria," she said.

She provided few details, but said the U.S. embassy in Damascus had contact with "a broad cross section of Syrians. We've also had contacts with those who are resident outside of Syria."

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also has become "very focused" on Syria diplomacy, she said, adding there was growing concern in the region about Damascus' behavior and its impact on the region.

"Rather than playing a positive role, under Assad, Syria has increasingly become a source of instability in the region," Nuland said.

"The barbaric attacks and the violence have got to stop," Nuland said.