Syria on the edge: New Turkish-US sanctions

The White House on Wednesday rejected Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's claim that he has not ordered his troops to kill peaceful demonstrators.  

"It is just not credible," White House spokesman Jay Carney said, asked about an ABC television interview Assad gave where he said only a "crazy" leader kills his own people.  

"The world has witnessed what has happened in Syria. The United States and many, many other nations around the world who have come together to condemn the atrocious violence in Syria perpetrated by the Assad regime know exactly what's happening and who is responsible," he said.

"I don't think anybody who watched that interview would find Mr. Assad's answers credible.

" On the other hand, Turkey announced that it will impose a 30 percent tariff on all Syrian goods, Turkish private broadcaster NTV quoted the country's trade minister as saying on Wednesday, in apparent retaliation for a similar tax imposed on Turkish goods by Damascus.  

"We will place a 30 percent tax on all goods coming from Syria," NTV quoted Customs and Trade Minister Hayati Yazici as saying. It gave no further details and the ministry could not be immediately reached for comment.  

Relations between erstwhile allies Turkey and Syria have deteriorated sharply over Ankara's sharp criticism of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's military crackdown on popular unrest.