Brussels, 01/12/2011 (Agence Europe) - At their meeting on Thursday 1 December 2011, EU foreign ministers decided that, in the light of the persistent repression in Syria, they would be tightening the sanctions against the country's energy and financial industries and trade in order to undermine the regime's ability to continue its unrelenting repression. This is the tenth round of EU sanctions against Bashar al-Assad's regime and targets include oil and gas industry equipment exports and the surveillance of communications. Trade in Syrian bonds and gilts has been outlawed, as has the opening of new Syrian bank offices in the EU. The foreign ministers halted new commitments by EU member states to provide aid and special prices to the Syrian regime (apart from humanitarian aid) and member states must refrain from providing financial backing.
Twelve new individuals guilty of human rights abuses and 11 bodies that shore up the regime have been added to the visa ban and asset freeze. The decisions will be formally published in the EU Official Journal on 2 December 2011.
In a conclusions document, the ministers say they strongly back the work of the Arab League to put an end to the repression in Syria and protect the Syrian people by deploying an observer mission in the country. They welcome the Arab League's decision to apply its own sanctions. After the meeting, Ashton said the EU had decided to work closely with the Arab League and support its leadership. The Council of Ministers condemned the repression in the strongest terms and called on President Bashar al-Assad to stand down. The foreign ministers said they strongly supported the Syrian people and encouraged the opposition to unite and continue to work with the Arab League towards a successful transition.
Syria reacted immediately by suspending its membership of the Union for the Mediterranean. (CG/transl.fl)