Syria's First Lady, Asma Al Assad. European Union states decided on Friday to impose sanctions on the wife of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and other members of his family, increasing pressure on his government to end a crackdown on popular unrest. Image Credit: Reuters
Brussels: European Union states decided on Friday to impose sanctions on the wife of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad's and other members of his family, increasing pressure on his government to end a crackdown on popular unrest.
Foreign ministers meeting in Brussels also imposed asset freezes and bans on travel to the EU on several other Syrians and banned European companies from doing business with two Syrian entities, EU officials said.
A full list of sanctions targets will be made public on Saturday when the decision comes into force. EU diplomats said the list included the Syrian president's wife Asma and family.
"She is on the list. It's the whole clan," one EU diplomat said.
Annan to go this weekend to Moscow and Beijing on Syria
Geneva: UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan will travel this weekend to Moscow and Beijing to discuss the crisis in Syria, his spokesman said Friday, adding that a team sent to Damascus has returned.
The team is back after "three days of intensive talks with Syrian authorities on urgent steps to implement" Annan's proposals on halting the violence.
"Mr Annan and his team are currently studying the Syrian responses carefully, and negotiations with Damascus continue," added the spokesman.
