EU Steps Up Sanctions Against Syria, Iran
EU Steps Up Sanctions Against Syria, Iran - the Irish Times - Tue, Oct 16, 2012
EU FOREIGN ministers stepped up financial sanctions against Syria, intensifying their protest against the Assad regime’s violent clampdown against the rebel movement in the country.
At a meeting yesterday in Luxembourg, the ministers also imposed a new swathe of tough sanctions against Iran and denounced its nuclear programme. The latest sanctions stand as the 19th round of penalties against President Bashar al-Assad and his supporters.
As the death toll mounts, an EU travel ban and asset freeze is being imposed on a further 28 regime figures who are deemed responsible for violent repression against civilians. The number of Syrian individuals now targeted by such penalties now stands at 181.
The EU assets of another two Syrian entities are being frozen, bringing the total to 54. The ministers also banned any EU nationals or companies from supplying financial services - including insurance and reinsurance - to Syrian arms exports.
The import of arms into the EU from Syria is being banned, as is any EU involvement in the transport of Syrian arms. “The EU warns against further militarisation of the conflict,” said EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. “We call on all states to refrain from delivering arms to Syria and to follow the EU in stopping the supplies.”