Syria unrest: West 'seeks to break up' country

The West is trying to create "total chaos" to break up Syria, the country's foreign minister has said. Speaking at the UN General Assembly, Walid Moualem blamed months-long anti-government demonstrations on "foreign intervention". He said the reforms announced by President Bashar al-Assad had to take "a back seat" as a result. Mr Bashar's government is accused of a violent crackdown that the UN says has killed more than 2,700 people. The president denies the allegations, saying he is tackling armed gangs of terrorists. In the latest violence, Syrian tanks bombarded a strategic town in the restive central province of Homs on Sunday night, injuring three people, activists and residents say.