Romanian PM Victor yesterday (May 31 ) approved the recall of the ambassador to Syria and the expulsion of the Syrian ambassador to Romania. He indicated that he had discussed the matter with Romania's Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrei Marga and deemed the move as just.

But Ponta added that Romanian embassy staff would remain in Syria to continue consular services to the many Romanians living in the country. “We are not talking about fifty or a hundred people,” said Ponta, “but thousands, especially women and children. We absolutely must maintain technical personnel in Damascus and protect Romanians living there.”

The PM condemned the actions of President Assad's regime in Syria and said the recall reflected what he described as a just stance to take on Syria, with reports of atrocities by government troops and the ongoing conflict claiming an ever mounting total of civilian lives.

The move comes days after reports of the massacre of over a hundred people in the Syrian town Houla surfaced and the US, France, the UK, Spain, Germany, Italy, Australia, and Canada announced the coordinated withdrawal of their ambassadors.

The UN and Arab League envoy to Syria Kofi Annan said the situation in Syria had now reached the “tipping point” and pressure is mounting to find a new solution following the perceived failure of Annan's peace plan.

Liam Lever, liam@romania-insider.com