LOC21:13
18:13 GMT
PARIS, Sept 2 (KUNA) -- France on Friday said it welcomed a European Union
decision to slap an embargo on Syrian oil exports and vowed to continue to
apply increased pressure on the Damascus regime to get a halt to violence in
Syria.
"France welcomes the European Union decision to decree and embargo on
imports of Syrian crude oil," a Foreign Ministry statement said.
Syria obtains about 25 percent of its national revenues from oil exports,
which total less than 200,000 barrels per day, and the European Union imports
about 95 percent of the country's exported oil. France only imports a minimal
amount, diplomats said here.
"France wants to reaffirm that it will not cease to intensify the pressure
on the Syrian regime as long as it continues to bloodily repress its own
people," the statement added.
It is the sixth round of sanctions implemented by the EU on Syria since the
violence began in that country and France has been the leading nation pushing
for Europe to apply stiff, individual and economic measures against the Syrian
leadership and its supporters.
At least 50 individuals and a number of economic entities were already
under sanctions up until the latest EU measures, which added several more
people to the list. The sanctions include asset freezes and travel
restrictions for the Syrian leadership and associated economic actors.
"Europe and France will continue to work, particularly in the framework of
the United Nations, to convince their partners to do everything that is
legally possible in order that the Syrian people can accede to freedom and
democracy," the French statement said.
France has also been pushing hard in the UN Security Council to get a
resolution condemning Syria and placing broader sanctions on the regime, but
not all Security Council members support this move. Russia, in particular, has
reservations about a UN resolution, but backed last month a UN Security
Council Presidential declaration on Syria. (End)
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