EU foreign ministers approve 14th package of sanctions against Syria

Foreign ministers of 27 EU states have met in Luxembourg and passed the 14 package of sanctions against Syria, RIA Novosti reports.

Media have recently discussed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s wife Asma and her luxurious purchases in the light of civil disorders in the state. 

The new sanctions ban luxury exports from Europe to Syria, expand the list of banned equipment exports to Syria. Certain sanctions against Myanmar are expected to be lifted. Foreign ministers are to discuss the situation in Iran, Belarus and Argentine, developments in Libya, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Suriname, Congo, Sudan and Southern Sudan. They will exchange views on long-term cooperation in Afghanistan for the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago.

EU foreign ministers passed sanctions against Syria on March 23. 12 more people, including Bashar al-Assad’s mother Anisa Maqlouf and wife Asma Assad, and two Syrian companies were blacklisted. The previous sanctions banned visits to EU states and froze accounts. Sanctions concern 150 Syrian officials supporting al-Assad.