Syria: EU Measures Reflect Disgust And Anxiety Over Attacks On Civilians …
- February 28th, 2012
- Posted by EUEditor
The European Commission says it will “rachet up†pressure on the regime in Syria, in response to its continued use of violence against civilians.
It says that among the new measures are an asset freeze on the Syrian Central Bank in the European Union countries, banning transactions of gold, diamonds and precious metals.
“The EU will continue its policy of imposing additional measures targeting the regime, not the civilian population, as long as repression continues”, it said.
Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative, attended the meeting of the Friends of Syria group in Tunis on 24.2.12.
She reiterated full support for the appointment of Kofi Annan as the United Nations and Arab League Special Envoy for Syria, and condemned the killing of journalists in Syria.
An attack by government forces on residential parts of the city of Homs continued this week, with among the casualties, two Western news correspondents, injured and unable to get out.
Residents said water, power and food supplies had been cut off from parts of the city and troops were barring access to medical aid, between bombardments by artillery.
The Syrian government said its forces were taking casualties from armed opponents.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Red Crescent organisation have been trying to negotiate for evacuation of wounded people, without success.
See EUAustralia Online “Marie Colvin’s death …”, 23.2.12.
Reference
EU Delegation, Canberra,”Syria: Stepping up the pressure”, 28.2.12.http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/aus-nz/, (28.2.12).
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