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EU names 13 Syrian officials on sanctions list

10 May 2011 13:20 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. EU names 13 Syrian officials on sanctions list, including a brother and influential cousin of president Bashar al-Assad. APA reports with reference to Aljazeera. The European Union has listed 13 Syrian officials on the bloc’s sanctions list, including a brother and a wealthy and influential cousin of Bashar al-Assad, the president, and intelligence chiefs. Maher al-Assad commands Syria’s Republican Guard and is considered the second most powerful man in the country. The measures, asset freezes and travel bans, are part of a package of sanctions, including an arms embargo which went into effect on Tuesday, as part of EU efforts to try to force Syria to end violence against anti-government protesters. EU governments decided not to target the president for now, in what diplomats said was a bid to introduce punitive measures gradually. But Bashar al-Assad, could face EU sanctions soon, they said. Sources said Germany and Spain opposed adding the president, over-riding strong backing for such a move from France and others. Included was Rami Makhlouf, a cousin of Assad, who owns Syria’s largest mobile phone company, Syriatel, and several large firms in the construction and oil sectors. In 2008, the United States imposed sanctions against him because of corruption allegations. Also affected is Ali Mamlouk, head of the General Intelligence Service, and Adulfattah Qudsiyeh, who runs military intelligence.