Brussels, 18/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - The Member States are getting ready to extend the European sanctions already in place against the Syrian regime to a dozen other people, including President Bachar al-Assad. A decision in principle on this may be taken next Monday (23 May) when the Foreign Affairs Ministers meet in Brussels under the chairmanship of Catherine Ashton. So far, the EU's "restrictive measures" (freezing of assets, visa ban) target only 13 officials and close members of the Syrian president's entourage, but not Bachar al-Assad himself (EUROPE 10373). These sanctions, together with an embargo on the sales of weapons and equipment which could be used for the purposes of internal repression, have been in place since 10 May. A number of countries - led by France, the United Kingdom, Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark - have brought pressure to bear on the Syrian Head of State, as the main person responsible for the exactions against his people, to be added to the list of people hit by these sanctions (EUROPE 10374). Other countries (notably Germany and Spain) are more reluctant, stating that the EU should not be excessively hasty in cutting off all means of communication and dialogue with Damascus. Catherine Ashton is believed to be in favour of extending the sanctions. In recent days, she has already warned the Syrian President that if he did not immediately cease all violence against demonstrators, the EU would be prepared to extend the measures, "also to the highest level of power". The question is to be discussed by the ministers during Monday's Foreign Affairs Council. In the meantime, the United States was already moving towards stepping up their sanctions against Syria. The American Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, announced on Tuesday 17 May that "additional measures" would be taken "in the days to come" in the US, in response to the repression of the Syrian revolts. She was speaking in Washington after a meeting with Catherine Ashton, who described the situation in Syria as "extremely alarming" (see other article). "It is a matter of extreme urgency for the Syrian government to take action", she said, or the international community would "look into all options". (H.B./transl.fl)