Clinton: Assad to be judged by actions

2012-03-27 24

Amateur video out of Syria shows the continued bombardment of Homs.

The video, which could not be independently verified by Reuters shows a man on the street as a neighborhood comes under attack.

He runs through the street as shelling continues to pound the city.

Homs, Syria's third largest city, has become the epicenter for the year-long revolt against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. Residents have accused the army of indiscriminate shelling.

On Tuesday, Syrian State TV airs footage of Assad in Homs.

He tours the city as his government has accepted a t peace plan proposed by UN envoy Kofi Annan.

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Assad will be judged by his actions.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON SAYING:

"Given Assad's history of over-promising and under-delivering, that commitment must now be matched by

immediate actions. We will judge Assad's sincerity and seriousness by what he does, not by what he says. If he is ready to bring this dark chapter in Syria's history to a close he can prove it by immediately ordering regime forces to stop firing and begin withdrawing from populated areas."

She also had words for the Syrian Opposition.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON SAYING:

"They must be able to clearly demonstrate a commitment to including all Syrians and protecting the rights of all Syrians,"

The United Nations said Tuesday that more than 9,000 civilians have been killed in the uprising that began a year ago.

The Syrian government says "armed groups" have killed 3,000 members of the security services.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters.