Brussels, 20/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - EU foreign ministers meeting in Council on Friday 23 March are expected to decide on further sanctions against Iran. The Council is to add another 18 people responsible for serious human rights violations to the current list of 61 people on whom a travel ban and assets freeze in the EU have been imposed. It may also extend by one year the application of restrictive measures adopted because of human rights violations in that country. Ministers are expected to ban exports to Tehran of equipment and software mainly used for surveillance and interception, by the regime, of internet or telephone communications.
Syria. The Council may also step up restrictive measures against the Syrian regime. On Tuesday 20 March, member states had not reached agreement on the new sanctions. They are also to discuss the situation, including humanitarian access, and efforts deployed for the adoption of a resolution at the United Nations Security Council, relations with the opposition and the European diplomatic presence in that country. Six member states have closed their embassies in Damascus and one country is ready to accept the offer made by the EEAS to take member state diplomats into its EU delegation. Ministers are expected to once more condemn the terrible repression and crackdown conducted by the regime.
Belarus. The Foreign Affairs Council could adopt additional sanctions against Belarus. On Tuesday, no details on such measures had been made known. The extra sanctions will be in addition to those that affect 231 persons, three entities, and the embargo on arms and goods likely to be used for purposes of repression. The ministers will discuss the situation in Belarus, given that EU member states recalled their ambassadors from Minsk on 28 February.
Sahel. Ministers will take stock of implementation of EU strategy for security and development of the Sahel region, one year after the strategy was adopted, and will look with interest at the recent developments in the situation there.
On the sidelines of the Council, on Friday at 9.00am, Catherine Ashton will meet the Turkish foreign minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, in the context of political dialogue at ministerial level. Davutoglu will lunch with his European counterparts to discuss the situation in Syria, the Middle East peace process, the situation in Iran and relations between Ankara and Africa. One day earlier, foreign ministers will discuss with their counterparts from accession candidate countries (Turkey, Montenegro, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Iceland and Serbia) on the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan and on the European Union's response in the wake of the Arab Spring. (CG/transl.jl)