EU slaps fresh sanctions on Syria; Australia introduces new embargoes on Damascus

The European Union slapped fresh sanctions on President Bashar al-Assad’s regime on Monday, targeting six entities and clarifying an existing arms embargo, EU diplomatic sources said.

The measures were approved by foreign ministers of the 27-nation-bloc meeting in Luxembourg, an EU statement said.

The asset freeze and travel ban were the 16th round of restrictive EU measures imposed on the Assad regime.

No details were immediately available on the identities of those targeted but several EU diplomats said on condition of anonymity that assets held in Europe by Syria’s defense and home affairs ministries were targeted.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said banks and telecommunications firms were also on the list.

Urging more sanctions against the Assad regime, Fabius called for a company specialized in telecommunications transmissions which is “in touch with an Ericsson firm” to be added to an EU blacklist.

He also suggested a ban on Syrian phosphate imports.

Monday’s sanctions also included a specific ban on insuring items embargoed for delivery to Syria, including arms shipments.

The measure follows an incident some days ago involving a British-insured Russian cargo ship carrying attack helicopters for Syria.

The United States alerted Britain to the consignment and British security services told insurers Standard Club that providing insurance for the shipment would breach EU sanctions, reports said.

Standard Club then cancelled insurance for the ship as well as others in the fleet owned by Russian cargo line Femco, forcing the vessel to head home.

Earlier on Monday, Australia has announced new sanctions against Syria covering oil, petroleum, financial services, telecommunications and precious metals.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr said in a statement Monday that the new trade sanctions are in addition to Australia’s arms embargo and financial and travel sanctions on Syrian individuals and entities, The Associated Press reported.

He said they increase pressure on Syria to abide by the U.N.’s peace plan.