EU Imposes Fresh Sanctions on Syria

The European Union imposed fresh sanctions on President Bashar Assad's regime Monday, targeting six government ministries and firms and one individual, while clarifying an existing EU arms embargo.

The measures were approved by foreign ministers of the 27-nation-bloc meeting in Luxembourg, an EU statement said.

The asset freeze and travel ban were the 16th round of restrictive EU measures imposed on the Assad regime.

No details were immediately available on the identities of those targeted but several EU diplomats said on condition of anonymity that assets held in Europe by Syria's defense and home affairs ministries were targeted.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said banks and telecommunications firms were also on the list.

Urging more sanctions against the Assad regime, Fabius called for a company specialized in telecommunications transmissions which is "in touch with an Ericsson firm" to be added to an EU blacklist.

He also suggested a ban on Syrian phosphate imports.

Monday's sanctions also included a specific ban on insuring items embargoed for delivery to Syria, including arms shipments.

The measure follows an incident some days ago involving a British-insured Russian cargo ship carrying attack helicopters for Syria.

The United States alerted Britain to the consignment and British security services told insurers Standard Club that providing insurance for the shipment would breach EU sanctions, reports said.

Standard Club then cancelled insurance for the ship as well as others in the fleet owned by Russian cargo line Femco, forcing the vessel to head home.