Syria lists US,European envoys as persona non grata

The act was largely symbolic,as most of those envoys had been recalled earlier by their own embassies.

Syrias government banned 17 Western diplomats and its helicopter gunships pounded rebels in a coastal province on Tuesday as President Bashar al-Assad defied international pressure to halt his campaign to crush the uprising against his rule.

The declaration that ambassadors from the US,Canada,Turkey and several European countries were unwelcome was retaliation for the expulsion of Syrian envoys from their capitals last week,following the massacre of more than 100 civilians by suspected Assad loyalists.

On the battlefront,rebels fought with government forces backed by helicopter gunships in the heaviest clashes in coastal Latakia province since the revolt against Assads rule broke out 15 months ago. The clashes in Latakia province were a rare surge of violence in a province outside the usual trail of bloodshed.

Syrias Foreign Ministry said the move to declare the 17 Western diplomats personae non grata was a response to the coordinated expulsions of Syrian envoys by 10 countries last week over the massacre at Houla. The act was largely symbolic,as most of those envoys had been recalled earlier by their own embassies.

But Syria said it was still open to re-establishing ties on a basis of principles of equality and mutual respect,a ministry statement said. The diplomats were mostly ambassadors. Turkey is a former Assad ally and now a strong opponent which has provided haven to army defectors,rebels and refugees.