Brussels, 23/03/2012 (Agence Europe) - EU foreign ministers decided on Friday 23 March to impose sanctions on 12 people close to Bashar al-Assad, imposing a travel ban and freezing their assets. Assad's wife, Asma, is one of those targeted, along with ministers and high representatives of the state. The mother, sister and sister-in-law of the Syrian president have also been added to the sanctions list. The measures imposed will be published in the Official Journal of the EU of 24 March.
Asma al-Assad, who holds dual British-Syrian nationality, will, unless denied entry by the government, still be able to travel to the UK, but not the other countries of the EU. European rules state that restrictions on the right of entry do not require a member state to refuse entry to its own nationals. “British passport holders have a right of entry to the UK. But, given that we are imposing an asset freeze on all of these individuals and a travel ban on other members of the same family or regime, we are NOT expecting Mrs Assad to try and travel to the UK at present”, says UK Foreign Minister William Hague.
In its conclusions, the Council, “increasingly appalled” by what is happening, repeated its call for an end to the violence, “immediate, unimpeded and full access” for humanitarian organisations, and unity among the opposition. It also condemned the bomb attacks in the country, stating that “acts of terrorism cannot be justified under any circumstances”. Ministers welcomed the recent visits to Syria of Valerie Amos and Kofi Annan and called on the regime to cooperate with Annan. Welcoming the non-binding statement by the United Nations Security Council, ministers called for a resolution to be adopted. (CG/transl.rt)