U.S. summons Syrian envoy over attack on ambassador

The United States has summoned the Syrian ambassador over the attack on U.S. ambassador to Damascus and read him the riot act, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said on Friday.

Syrian Ambassador Imad Mustapha was called into the State Department on Thursday night by Assistant Secretary for Near East Affairs Jeff Feltman and "read the riot act about this incident," Nuland told reporters at a regular news briefing.

"He was reminded that Ambassador Ford is the personal representative of the president and that an attack on Ford is an attack on the United States," she said. "He was also asked for compensation for our damaged vehicles."

In addition, "a very strong set of representations" were made again about Syria's responsibilities under the Vienna Convention, she added.

Reports said that pro-government demonstrators in Syria pelted Ford's car with eggs and tomatoes during his visit to the office of Hasan abdul Azim, a prominent Syrian opposition figure, on Thursday. Witnesses alleged that the ambassador's car hit a demonstrator, injuring him in his forehead.

The ambassador later left the scene on the intervention of a dozen Syrian security vehicles.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday urged the Syrian government to do all it can to protect American diplomats, calling the attack on U.S. ambassador an attempt to"intimidate our diplomats through violence" and "wholly unjustified."


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