Brussels, 17/07/2012 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 16 July, European sources announced that the European Union is preparing further sanctions against the Syrian regime, which are expected to be adopted next week. According to the same sources, discussions are continuing on this subject and new individuals and entities are being targeted by the sanctions, as well as the introduction of possible economic sanctions. One source explained that the EU was working on a new series of sanctions, “but we still do not know what they will include”.
These measures could possibly be adopted on Monday 23 July, during the Foreign Affairs Council in Brussels. If they are adopted, they will be the 17th raft of sanctions since the beginning of the uprising in March 2011. The most recent series of sanctions were introduced on 25 June. To date, 129 people and 49 economic and administrative bodies have been targeted by having their assets frozen and a visa ban imposed on them. An embargo has been introduced on oil, weapons and luxury products. There are also restrictions on products that can be used for repressive purposes.
Disagreement over continuation of observers' mission
On Monday, discussions between 15 members of the UN Security Council on renewing the observers' mandate in Syria (which comes to an end on 20 July) had reached stalemate. The draft resolution put forward by the Europeans and Americans would renew the observers' mission for a further 45 days and includes a threat of economic sanctions against the Syrian regime if it does not stop using heavy weapons against the opposition. Russia, however, has proposed another draft resolution extending the mission but does not make any mention of introducing sanctions. A vote on the Euro-US resolution is expected to be organised on Wednesday afternoon. The resolution may obtain the nine votes needed for its adoption but it could also find itself facing a veto by the Russians and Chinese in opposition. Russia has emphasised that it will clearly vote against the text because, “the only goal of a resolution must be to extend the observers' mission”. China, however, would like to continue negotiations in an effort to obtain consensus on the text.
Civil war
On Monday, the International Red Cross Committee described the conflict as a “civil war” and called for humanitarian law to be respected by both sides. The IRCC said that, “every time there are hostilities we can see conditions that can be defined as an armed non-international conflict”, or, in other less diplomatic terms, a civil war.
British companies still exporting to Syria
On Friday 13 July, the British parliament's committee on controlling arms exports announced that British companies are still exporting military material to Syria, “material that could be used for domestic repression”. According to its report, ministers are still granting licenses to authoritarian regimes, including Syria. Nine licenses are still ongoing, including one for bulletproof military vehicles. The foreign office has justified these exports by explaining that armoured vehicles are used to protect Western diplomats and that chemical products had been exported to a private industrial company. (CG/transl.fl)