Arab League approves sanctions against Syria

Xinhua, November 28, 2011

The Arab League (AL) decided Sunday to immediately impose sanctions against Syria, as the violence-hit country failed to sign a protocol before the deadline of Friday over the visit of an AL observer mission.

Residents queue up to get gas cylinders at a gas station in Damascus, Capital of Syria, Nov. 27, 2011. Syrians have been suffering from the shortage of cooking gas, due to the months of unrest and economic sanctions imposed by Europe and the United States.

The sanctions included a travel ban on senior Syrian officials, the list of whom will be decided by an implementation committee, and the suspension of business with the Syrian Central Bank and the Syrian government, according to a copy of the resolution obtained by Xinhua.

The package also included suspending the trade with the Syrian government except for some strategic commodities, freezing the Syrian government's funds in the Arab countries, assigning the Arab central banks to monitor loans concerning Syria, and halting financial transfer from the Arab central banks to the Syrian central bank except for the remittance of overseas Syrian workers to their families and citizens of Arab countries in Syria.

"Today, we are very sad to hold such a meeting as the Syrian government has not signed the observer mission," said Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani. "Syria is an important regional country. We are very concerned about the Syrian crisis. So we made the decision."

Jassim also noted that the sanctions will avoid bringing harm to the Syrian people and will not affect their lives directly or indirectly.

The sanctions got support from 19 members of the 22-member pan- Arab body except for Iraq and Lebanon. Syria's membership was suspended on Nov. 16.

According to the resolution, a technical implementation committee will submit a report about the flights between Syria and other Arab countries so that the AL can decide the time for a flight ban. The committee is also charged with naming a list of strategic commodities.

The technical committee comprises high officials and experts from Arab countries including Jordan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Oman, Egypt and Morocco.

The AL ministerial committee, which is in charge of handling the Syria crisis, will convene regularly to discuss the Syrian situation.

AL Secretary General Nabil Arabi told reporters that the package, which has included many aspects, is aimed at checking the bloodshed in Syria.

"Some countries mentioned about the political sanctions in the next step, including the withdrawal of ambassadors and cutting diplomatic ties with Syria, but the AL has not considered such a move," said Arabi.

Arabi said the sanctions would bring pressure upon the Syrian regime, adding that the AL will consider the consequences of the sanctions and try to avoid any foreign interference in Syria.

"We are committed to solving the Syrian crisis within the Arab framework. But if the Syrian situation continues, We will consider seeking foreign help," said Jassim.

He added that for the time being, the AL would not establish the humanitarian corridor, but would see what the Syrian government would do next.

On Sunday, dozens of anti-government Syrian nationals gathered at the Fairmont Hotel in eastern Cairo where the Arab foreign ministers met.

"We are disappointed with the decision, as it did not mention a non-fly zone or offer contents which could change the Syrian government's position fundamentally," said one protester.

The protester said he opposed the foreign interference and hoped that the Syrian problem be solved within the Arab nations.

Meanwhile, hundreds of angry Syrians thronged a main square in the capital Damascus in a show of defiance and grumpiness to the AL, just minutes after the regional bloc decided to impose sanctions against Syria.

The angry crowds shouted slogans of support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad along with obscenities against the AL members. The rally was attended by people of all ages, including children.

Syria became the second member state punished by the AL this year after Libya due to their handling of domestic protests. The AL agreed to support the establishment of a non-fly zone in Libya in March, which paved the way for a UN resolution against Libya.

In mid-March, anti-government protests erupted in Syria. Some 3, 500 people have been killed in clashes during the protests, according to the UN figures. The Syrian government blamed the armed groups for launching attacks.

In early November, Syria accepted a peace plan put forward by the AL. As violence continued in the country, the AL decided to suspend Syria's membership on Nov. 16 until it fully implemented the peace proposal.

On Nov.16, the AL foreign ministers asked Syria to sign an observer delegation deal. But the Syria put forward some amendments, which the AL refused. On Nov. 24, the AL issued an ultimatum to Syria to sign the observer mission, otherwise it would assign the AL economic and social council to formulate sanctions.

The AL economic and social council drew up the draft sanctions on Saturday and submitted them to Sunday's meeting of foreign ministers.