European Parliament calls for tougher sanctions on Syria

[News_Editor]

European Parliament calls for tougher sanctions on Syria

2011-05-11 21:30:47 GMT+7 (ICT)

BRUSSELS (BNO NEWS) -- The European Parliament on Wednesday called for tougher sanctions on Syria as well as a stronger and more united stance on the Arab uprisings.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), led by the EPP and S&D groups, met with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Wednesday to discuss the EU actions over the unrests in Northern Africa and the Middle East.

The Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDR), ECR and Green groups criticized the EU's approach to the Syrian crisis and demanded that President Bashar al-Assad to be included in the list of officials sanctioned by EU.

"The situation in Syria is a huge disaster and is becoming an Arab Tiananmen", said ALDE leader Guy Verhofstadt. "President Al-Assad must be included as soon as possible on the list of Syrian officials subject to EU sanctions."

On Monday, the European Council adopted a regulation that provides for an embargo on exports to Syria of arms and equipment that could be used for internal repression, as well as a visa ban and an assets freeze for 13 persons responsible for the violent repression.

Ashton said that the measures could be extended according to the developments in Damascus. The EU has repeatedly called on al-Assad to put an immediate end to violence and introduce political reforms that provide peace and stability.

The Parliament adopted three resolutions after Wednesday's debate, which was held six months after the launch on December 1, 2010 of the EU External Action Service headed by Ashton.

In the first two resolutions, drafted by Gabriele Albertini and Roberto Gualtieri, MEPs called for an arms embargo by EU Member States on Syria, Yemen and Bahrain and for a moratorium on the executions of four Bahraini protestors.

Furthermore, Ashton announced that an EU office will be opened in Benghazi, Libya, to assist the people and the Interim Transitional National Council, the Libyan opposition force.

Finally, the Parliament also urged the EU to suspend ongoing negotiations for an Association Agreement with Syria and to investigate the killing of Iranian dissidents in Camp Ashraf in Iraq and for making progress in resolving the Middle East conflict.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-05-11