In a statement broadcast across the Arab world, King Abdullah said the violence was "unacceptable".

It came hours after the Arab League issued its first official condemnation of the repression in Syria.

The move is a major escalation in international pressure on Damascus. "The kingdom of Saudi Arabia... demands an end to the death machine and bloodshed and calls for acts of wisdom before it is too late," King Abdullah said in a statement broadcast by al-Arabiya television.

"What is happening in Syria is not acceptable for Saudi Arabia. Either it (Syria) chooses wisdom on its own or it will be pulled down into the depths of turmoil and loss."

The statement seems to be a co-ordinated move, following the Arab League's own communique on Syria.

The 22-member league said it was "alarmed" by the situation in the country and called for an immediate end to the violence.

The six-nation Gulf Co-operation Council also issued its first comments about the unrest on Sunday, condemning the "excessive use of force" and calling for an "immediate end to the violence".