The European Union will consider new sanctions against Syria on May 14. Syria held its first parliamentary polls on May 7.. The EU plans to freeze the assets of two Syrian companies and prohibit visas for three Syrians. 27 EU states plan to pass the 15th round of sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
Two blasts took place at the Ba'ath party office in Aleppo. One man died, RIA Novosti reports.
Syria presented a list of 26 foreigners involved in terrorism to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Two blasts occurred at the start of the week, resulting in about 55 deaths. Experts say that a ton of explosives went off.
Vladimir Yevseyev, director of the Center for Socio-Political Studies, told Vestnik Kavkaza that the situation in Syria is a lot more stable than is depicted. He noted that he attended the elections and saw serenity. The processes resemble what was happening in Chechnya or Dagestan. The only problem in Damascus during the visit was that the central square was blocked to count the votes. People were voting for an end to the civil war, rather than Bashar al-Assad.
Al-Assad's bloc got 65% of the votes. The country has no armed formations to challenge the president. There are still about 30-40 gangs, Yevseyev says. The Free Syrian Army has no authority in the country, it is based in Turkey. 500 out of 3000 troops are Libyan mercenaries.
The Free Syrian Army cannot make a breakthrough from Turkey without the support of Turkish troops.
Lebanon and Hezbollah support al-Assad. Jordan is trying not to interfere. Iraq is not interfering, but it smuggles weapons to the opposition.
The opposition in Syria can be split into constructive, boycotting elections and the opposition supported from abroad. The non-constructive opposition includes the Muslim Brotherhood. It is unpopular among the population, Yevseyev concludes.
