EU slaps sanctions on Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria, Nov. 14 (UPI) -- European Union ministers added 18 names to the bloc's blacklist of Syrian officials and entities, Monday, increasing pressure on the Syrian government.

The ministers, meeting in Brussels, also suspended funding from the European Investment Bank to Syria, responding to the Assad regime's violent response to pro-democracy demonstrators, EuropeVoice.com reported.

However, the ministers did not include the possibility of military intervention in Syria, similar to Libya, EUobserver.com reported.

The U.S. State Department applauded the European Union action while awaiting Wednesday's meeting of the Arab League, which suspended Syria during the weekend, spokesman Mark Toner said.

"Moving forward, we certainly feel like they're [the Arab League] now on board with the rest of the international community that's growing more and more concerned by the human rights situation in Syria," Toner said.

The spokesman said the league's decision to suspend Syria's participation "is a very, very strong statement with regard to their view … that Syria is carrying out violence against innocent protesters."

However, "I don't think anyone wants to see more militarization in the Syrian situation right now," Toner said.

Syria also called for an emergency Arab League meeting before the suspension and imposition of sanctions take effect Wednesday.

"To us, it looks like another attempt to buy yet more time," Toner said. "We've seen this consistent pattern in Syria's reactions to efforts … to resolve and end the violence … ."

King Abdullah of Jordan Monday told the BBC if he were in Syrian President Bashar Assad's situation, "I would step down and make sure whoever comes behind me has the ability to change the status quo that we're seeing."

Abdullah, a harsh critic of the Syrian government's brutal response to uprisings, said Assad should "create an ability to reach out" and begin a new phase of political life in Syria because right now, Syria's system doesn't allow for that.

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem denounced the Arab League action as a "dangerous step" pushed by the United States, the BBC said. He said Syria would not budge from what he called its strong positions and any "plots" against it would fail.

After Saturday's suspension was announced, several thousand Syrians attacked the embassies and consulates of Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and France.

Turkey sent planes to evacuate its diplomats' families Sunday, and all targeted countries condemned the attacks in the strongest possible language, vowing to hold Syria responsible for the security and protection of their interests in Syria.

Turkey and France are not league members, but have been vocal in their condemnation of the Assad regime's crackdown, which the United Nations says has led to more than 3,500 deaths.

The suspension followed the collapse of a league peace plan under which Syria agreed to withdraw its forces from cities and towns, halt violence against protesters and enter negotiations in Cairo with the opposition.

But since the Nov. 2 agreement, Syria has seen some of the bloodiest days since the uprising began March 15, with activists saying more than 260 people were killed, including at least 23 people Sunday.

Most deaths were in the western Syrian city of Homs, 100 miles north of the capital Damascus. Four of the dead Sunday were killed by security forces for chanting slogans against Assad at a pro-government rally in the west-central city of Hama, activists said.