Assad: Syria facing economic siege

Syria was suffering an economic siege, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said at the meeting with Chinese assistant foreign minister Chen Xiaodong in Damascus.

"The war on Syria has taken on a new form that is basically siege and economic war," he said, according to a statement released by the presidency.

"International political tools have changed," AP cited the Syria leader as saying.

Instead of dialogue, foreign powers have adopted "a different approach consisting of boycott, ambassador withdrawal, economic siege, and the use of terrorism," Assad said.