US, UK consider sanctions against Syria
Almaty. April 26. Kazakhstan Today - The US is preparing to introduce new sanctions against the Syrian regime in response to a military crackdown against protesters on Monday, Kazakhstan Today reports.
The US is weighing sanctions against Syria in response to the army's intensifying crackdown on popular protests, the White House has said, BBC News reported.
The "brutal violence" Syria directed against protesters was "deplorable", a White House spokesman said.
Sanctions could include a freeze on Syrian assets and a ban on business with the US, officials have said.
On Monday, at least five people were reported killed as Syrian tanks and troops advanced into the city of Deraa.
"The brutal violence used by the government of Syria against its people is completely deplorable," National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said.
"The US is pursuing a range of possible policy options, including targeted sanctions, to respond to the crackdown and make clear that this behaviour is unacceptable."
The remarks represent a further hardening of the US position on the Syrian protests following US President Barack Obama's strong condemnation on Friday of the Syrian government's use of force.
Forty days of demonstrations in Syria and more than 350 reportedly killed. But only now is the US administration starting to toughen its language, hinting at vague action.
In Egypt, just a week after hundreds of thousands took to the street, Obama called for "the transition to start now". In Libya, 10 days after the big protests kicked off, a UN resolution imposed sanctions and referred the Libyan leadership to the ICC.
Slow movement on Syria is due to several factors: the US is now involved militarily in Libya and managing rapid change across the region. When it comes to Syria specifically, the US also always had limited leverage - Syria's not an ally it can lean on like Egypt. Damascus is already under sanctions, more restrictions will not have a quick impact.
Britain is drawing up plans for sanctions on Syria after the regime deployed tanks against civilians for the first time yesterday, the Daily Mail reports.
Activists claimed Damascus had 'launched war' on its own people, as at least 18 people were killed in a security forces assault on Daraa.
The Foreign Office said asset freezes and travel bans are 'on the table' to increase pressure on dictator Bashar al-Assad.
Foreign Secretary William Hague is working with the EU and Arab countries to turn the screws on the regime, officials said.
He will make a statement to Parliament today on his plans. A spokesman said: 'Syria is not the same situation as Libya but all of these things are on the table.
In total, more than 350 people have been killed in Syria since demonstrations started in March, activists say, BBC News informed.
Photo: Daily Mail
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