Turkish FM says Turkey could take more measures against Syrian regime if violence continued

ANKARA (A.A) - Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday said economic sanctions as well as other measures should come to table if the Syrian government continued its crackdown on pro-democracy protestors. "Our primary objective is take necessary steps in line with the Arab League's initiatives to end the bloodshed. But if the attacks continue there will obviously be a need to take further measures starting with economic sanctions so that we can end this massacre," Davutoglu said in response to a question at a joint press conference with his French counterpart Alain Juppe in capital Ankara on whether Turkey would support a no-fly zone over Syria.   Davutoglu said Turkey had exerted efforts to convince Syrian President Bashar Al Assad with whom Turkey had very close relations until the Syrian government launched a deadly crackdown on anti-government Syrian protestors.      "But our efforts failed as the Syrian leadership did not listen to calls we and the world have made. Most importantly, they have refused to listen to the voice of their own people and direct weapons on them instead," Davutoglu said. Juppe, on his part, said there was a need to strengthen sanctions on Syria which could include more economic sanctions over Syria's and certain people's assets within the European Union.     Juppe said he had "doubts" that the Syrian regime would approve an Arab League proposal to send observers to the country despite a Syrian official's remarks Friday that Damascus had agreed "in principle" to allow the observer mission. An estimated 3,500 people have been killed and nearly 20 thousand people were sent behind bars in the eight-month-old uprising in Syria.