US Vice President Joe Biden said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad threatened to "fan the flames" of sectarian conflict not only in Syria but in the wider region.

US Vice President Joe Biden said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad threatened to "fan the flames" of sectarian conflict not only in Syria but in the wider region.

During talks with the Turkish President Abdullah Gul in Ankara, Biden said: "Assad and his regime are the source of instability in Syria now and pose the greatest danger to fanning flames of sectarian conflict not only in Syria but beyond”.

The United States stands with Turkey "in growing out of patience and calling for President Assad to step aside", Biden added Saturday during a conference in Istanbul.

On the other hand, Biden, who arrived to Turkey from Iraq, urged Assad to quit power in an interview with the Turkish daily Hurriyet published Friday.

He called for a “peaceful transition in Syria”.

"Syria's stability is important. That is exactly why we are insisting on change -- it is the current situation that is unstable," Biden said.