Brussels, 02/08/2011 (Agence Europe) - General Ali Habib Mahmoud, Syrian Defence Minister, is among the five additional people concerned by European Union sanctions for their role in the crackdown against anti-government demonstrators in Syria (see EUROPE 10431). The names of the five persons concerned by EU sanctions (visa ban and assets freeze) are given in the EU Official Journal of Tuesday 2 August.
Mohammad Mufleh, Head of Syrian Military Intelligence in the town of Hama, is among those on the list. The three other people sanctioned by the EU are: Major General Tawfiq Younes, Head of the Department for Internal Security of the General Intelligence Directorate; Mohammed Makhlouf, alias Abu Rami, close associate and maternal uncle of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad: and Ayman Jabir, an associate of Mahir al-Assad, the president's younger brother, involved in coordination of Shabiha militia groups. In total, some 30 people including President Bashar al-Assad are targeted by EU sanctions due to their involvement in the crackdown.
In a press release, Guy Verhofstadt, who heads the ALDE Group at the European Parliament, considers that the EU should also include Syrian businesses linked to the financing of the repression, like oil companies. For instance, he said, the Syria Petroleum Corporation (SPC) and Sytrol could be listed. He pointed out that 90% of Syrian oil exports are imported into the EU. (L.C./transl.jl)