The Wall Street Journal, Brussels, 11 Nov 2011- The European Union is set to broaden its sanctions against Syria at a foreign ministers’ meeting next week, with between 15 and 20 individuals likely to be added to the sanctions list, two people familiar with the subject said Thursday.
The expected sanctions would be the latest measures against individuals and companies tied to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad over its crackdown on protesters this year. The United Nations has said some 3,500 people have been killed this year.
The EU will also formally suspend the assistance given to Syria by the European Investment Bank.
The EU made a political decision to put a temporary stop to the assistance in August. However, by legally mandating the suspension of assistance, no further payments will be made to Syria unless the situation changes, the diplomats said.
The EIB at one stage had 17 projects under way in Syria earlier this year, a portfolio worth €1.3 billion ($1.76 billion).
The fresh measures, which key EU committees have already signed off on, come as the U.S. administration also looks to add to restrictive measures on Syria.
However, they also come as EU nations appear increasingly resigned to the likelihood of a Russian veto blocking any measures against Syria at the U.N.
The EU foreign ministers’ meeting in Brussels on Monday will follow a planned meeting of the Arab League on Syria this weekend. The Arab League will review the latest violence, which came after Syrian authorities agreed to an Arab League plan in early November for ending the violence and releasing prisoners.
The EU has already imposed travel bans and asset freezes against about 60 Syrians, including Mr. Assad and many members of his family, the armed forces and government.
The latest targets are said to be more loosely tied to the regime.
The 27-nation bloc has also imposed an oil embargo and frozen the assets of Syria’s Commercial Bank and a number of other state-run companies.
However, diplomats said additional sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program are unlikely to be agreed upon by next week.
One diplomat said there is no agreement yet on what action to take at the EU level against Tehran, although all options are still being explored for intensifying pressure, including possible measures directed at Iran’s oil and gas sector.
Action could also be taken against Iran at a follow-up meeting of EU foreign ministers Dec. 1, the diplomats said, but any decisions would depend in part on the discussions next week on the International Atomic Energy Agency’s latest report on Iran’s nuclear program.
After the latest IAEA report saying Iran continued to work on a nuclear program, the Italian, French and British foreign ministers pledged an intensification of sanctions.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe warned of imposing ‘strong’ sanctions and the U.K.’s William Hague has called for fresh measures on Iran’s energy and financial sector.