DIPLOMACY

Europe Turns Up Heat on Syria

As reported death toll climbs to 400.

After weeks of bloody unrest in Syria that has only escalated in recent days, France and Italy's leaders issued a joint statement on Tuesday calling on the EU and U.N. to intervene. Syrian human rights organization Sawasiah claims that the president's security forces have murdered more than 400 civilians in their monthlong attempt to crush pro-democracy protests. Sawasiah has called on the U.N. Security Council to begin proceedings charging Syrian officials in the International Criminal Court. The U.K. has also been considering sanctions, and is working with other European countries to draft an official statement condemning the crackdown, including sanctions "that will have an impact on the regime.” "This violent repression must stop," U.K. Foreign Secretary William Hague told the House of Commons.