EU Adds 18 People To Syria Sanctions List

Monday, Nov 14, 2011

BRUSSELS (Dow Jones)--The European Union Monday added 18 people to its list of Syrian sanctions targets and formally suspended European Investment Bank support for Syria.

The two measures, both of which had been expected, were agreed during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels.

The names of the 18 new sanctions targets will be published in the EU's Official Bulletin Tuesday. Those on the list will see their assets frozen and they will be banned from entering the EU.

The sanctions are the latest measures taken against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over the violent crackdown on protestors which has left some 3,500 dead.

The EU has already placed sanctions on Assad and many members of his family, government and the military as well as imposing an embargo on Syrian crude oil exports.

The EU also decided to formally suspend the disbursement of EIB loans to Syria and to suspend the technical assistance contracts it had with Damascus. The EIB had a portfolio of projects worth more than EUR1 billion with Syria.

In a statement, the EU warned it "will continue to impose additional and more comprehensive measures against the regime as long as the repression of the civilian population continues."

Separately, the EU foreign ministers said they hoped for the "rapid" appointment of a new Libyan transitional government.

The ministers expressed concern about reports of human rights violations in Libya, calling on the new government to "take action to bring to an end such acts" and to hold to account those involved in them.

The 27-nation bloc said it would continue to work to lift sanctions on Libyan people and entities which were put in place when the regime of Col. Moammar Gadhafi was still in control of the country.

-By Laurence Norman, Dow Jones Newswires; +32 (0)2 741 1481; laurence.norman@dowjones.com