EU to Slap Fresh Sanctions on Syria
European Union foreign ministers are set to slap fresh sanctions on Syria next week, adding 22 individuals and eight companies to an existing blacklist, EU diplomats said Wednesday.
"As long as the repression continues we will step up our restrictive measures," said an EU diplomatic source speaking on condition of anonymity.
The sanctions are expected to be announced by foreign ministers meeting on Monday in Brussels, another EU diplomat said. No details were immediately available on the identities of the new targets.
The EU has already agreed 10 rounds of sanctions against the regime of President Bashar Assad, with some 120 people and companies targeted so far by an EU assets freeze and travel ban.
It is also enforcing an arms embargo and a ban on imports of Syrian crude oil.
In December, it expanded its sanctions list to include Syria's finance and economy ministers, state-owned oil companies and two media organizations.
The EU move would come on the heels of a pledge by U.S. President Barack Obama to redouble efforts to force a change of regime in Syria as the U.N. Security Council struggles to agree on a resolution on Damascus's crackdown on dissent.
Obama said concerns about the crackdown had been "uppermost" in talks with visiting Jordanian King Abdullah II on Tuesday.
"We continue to see unacceptable levels of violence inside that country," Obama said.
"We will continue to consult very closely with Jordan to create the kind of international pressure and environment that encourage the current Syrian regime to step aside so that a more democratic process and transition can take place inside of Syria."
The comments followed the Assad government's rejection of a proposal to deploy Arab forces to halt unrest in Syria, where the U.N. estimates more than 5,400 people have been killed in the crackdown on democracy protests since March.
12 years
Christians cannot be trusted.
12 years
Dr. Cookie knows better. Maybe the EU needs a consultant?? Crookie is a candidate! He's got it all figured out :)
What do you suggest exactly ya crookie? Give Assad more weapons (like Iran)? Give him more time (like the Arab League)?? Pfff...
"works everytime. ask europe." Nooooo... it never does...(Lybia, Egypt,Tunisia,S....)...does it?? hahahaha...
12 years
hahahahahaha...mowaten...
Do you really think that people speak freely in Syria... that they are not afraid to express an opinion... At the last elections, Bashar got elected with ...how much... 97% of the votes?? I am astonished that 45% had the courage to express their opposition. It is quite unbelievable...!!
12 years
Even if the polls are conducted in the most respectable manner... the fear factor (which in my very humble opinion is very strong)is not taken into account. It is not England,...it is Syria...not quite the same mowaten...not quite the same...
12 years
PS: Mowaten...hahaha... your source is a blog with no link ... not CIA + it is written by Philip Giraldi (ex CIA) and executive Director of the CNI, an anti Zionist movement...HAHAHAHAHAHA.... Gosh..."real journalistic work" indeed!! Hehehehehe... That's quite a bit biased don't you think ya Mowaten...
12 years
Better and better... So you qualify the Guardian as "real journalistic work"... and you don't agree with the possibility of a fear factor disrupting the partiality of the pole...hmmm... Suit yourself... one is allowed to keep his blindfold... As for ur 2nd link... :) well I am just pointing out that it is a blog, no links, no verified sources, and biased by the political views of the writer. Surely you're clever enough to understand that your post was quite foolish :) Now stop wasting my time...again... I like playing with you and your airy posts...but at some point i get bored and... Well, I've reached that point;). Ciao momo! xoxo
12 years
Better and better... So you qualify the Guardian as "real journalistic work"... and you don't agree with the possibility of a fear factor disrupting the partiality of the pole...hmmm... Suit yourself... one is allowed to keep his blindfold... As for ur 2nd link... :) well I am just pointing out that it is a blog, no links, no verified sources, and biased by the political views of the writer. Surely you're clever enough to understand that your post was quite foolish :) Now stop wasting my time...again... I like playing with you and your airy posts...but at some point i get bored and... Well, I've reached that point;). Ciao momo! xoxo
12 years
Sorry about that! Sehnaoui's crappy Internet ;)
Ya monster, that's not a good analogy. Assad is a TRUE monster and a cancer and needs to be removed by ANY means necessary. We should learn from history and we all know that the Baath regime oppressed and killed Syrian and Lebanese peoples mercilessly. Inshallah the Syria people will overcome this test and a new era of freedom and prosperity will follow.