Syria strongly condemned the European Council statement on the extension for another year of sanctions imposed on certain Syrian institutions and individuals under the pretext of developing and using chemical weapons. Damascus affirmed that the sanctions are based on hypocrisy and disinformation, adding that it represents a continuation of the anti-Syrian campaign.
“The Syrian Arab Republic strongly condemns the statement released, on Monday, October 12, by the European Council on the extension of the sanctions imposed for a further year on certain Syrian institutions and individuals under the pretext of developing and using chemical weapons”. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates said.
He assured that this decision is based on hypocrisy and misrepresentation. It is a continuation of the anti-Syrian campaign that the European Council has resorted to since the beginning of the terrorist war in Syria until now, using the Syrian chemical dossier as an excuse to continue spreading their lies against Syria.
“Syria states that this declaration demonstrates once again the lack of credibility of the European Council and its policy, which is in line with the unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States of America to starve the Syrian people and undermine their strength and stability. At the same time, supporting armed terrorist groups, including in their repeated use of chemical weapons against innocent civilians,” the note from the Foreign Ministry continued.
Damascus concluded that Syria has repeatedly stated that it regards the use of chemical weapons as an immoral matter and that it condemns their use everywhere, under any circumstances, and against anyone. The government of Bashar al-Assad reiterated that it does not possess chemical weapons and fullyfulfils its obligations towards the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
The European Council extendedrestrictive measures against the Syrian regime for one additional year, until 1 October 2021. In line with the EU strategy on Syria, the EU decided to maintain its restrictive measures against the Syrian regime and its supporters, as the repression of the civilian population continues.“The Syrian people have had to draw on extraordinary reserves of resilience in the course of the conflict,”EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell explained.
The sanctions target those responsible for their suffering, members of the Syrian regime, their supporters and businesspersons who finance it and benefit from the war economy. “The EU is determined to continue its support to the Syrian people and remains committed to use every tool at its disposal to push for a political solution to the conflict that would benefit all Syrians and put an end to the ongoing repression,” Borrell added.
Last May, the Council removed from the list two persons and one company which halted their sanctionable behaviour, as well as two deceased persons. The list now includes 273 persons targeted by both an asset freeze and a travel ban, and 70 entities subject to an assets freeze. According to the EU, sanctions actually in place against Syria were announced in 2011, in response to the ferocious repression by the Syrian regime of its civilian population. They also hit companies and business people advancing from their ties with Bashar al-Assad family and the war economy.
Restrictive measures also include a ban on the import of oil, restrictions on certain investments, a freeze of the assets of the Syrian central bank held in the EU, and export restrictions on equipment and technology that might be used for internal repression, as well as on equipment and technology for the monitoring or interception of internet or telephone communications.
