Kuwait, Bahrain Follow Riyadh in Recall of Envoys from Syria

Kuwait and Bahrain on Monday decided to recall their ambassadors from Damascus, increasing the regional isolation of President Bashar al-Assad, a day after Saudi Arabia took the same step.

"We have decided to recall our ambassador from Syria for consultations," Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed al-Sabah told reporters after meeting a parliamentary committee.

"No one can accept the bloodshed in Syria ... The military option must be halted," said Sheikh Mohammed, who also praised the Saudi decision to recall its envoy.

Sheikh Mohammed said the foreign ministers of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states will hold a meeting shortly to discuss the developments in Syria.

"There will be a meeting for the GCC foreign ministers soon and a joint GCC move to discuss the issues related to Syria," he said.

For his part, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed al-Khalifa said later on Monday that the kingdom had recalled its ambassador from Syria for "consultation."

"Bahrain is recalling its ambassador in Damascus for consultation, and has called for a resort to reason," said Sheikh Khaled in a brief statement on his Twitter page.

Saudi King Abdullah late on Sunday strongly condemned the bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in Syria and recalled Riyadh's ambassador from Damascus.

Kuwait last week urged Syria to halt the bloodshed, almost five months into an anti-regime uprising in which security forces and the army have killed more than 1,600 people.

Hundreds of Kuwaitis staged demonstrations on Friday in solidarity with the Syrian people and demanded the expulsion of the Syrian ambassador and the recall of Kuwait's envoy from Damascus.

But foreign ministry undersecretary Khaled al-Jarallah said on Sunday that Kuwait has no plans to expel the Syrian ambassador.

Kuwaitis plan to march on the Syrian mission in Kuwait City on Tuesday to press for the expulsion of the ambassador.