US designates Turkish ministries, senior officials in response to military action in Syria

WASHINGTON, Oct 14 (KUNA) -- US President Donald Trump issued Monday an Executive Order (the "order") declaring a "national emergency due to the situation in and in relation to Syria and in particular the recent actions by the Government of Turkey to conduct a military offensive into northeast Syria" In the Executive Order on "Blocking Property and Suspending Entry of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Syria," Trump stressed that he finds that "the situation in and in relation to Syria, and in particular the recent actions by the Government of Turkey to conduct a military offensive into northeast Syria, undermines the campaign to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (IS)." He added that the Turkish action also "endangers civilians, and further threatens to undermine the peace, security, and stability in the region, and thereby constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States." "I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat," he announced.
Meanwhile, the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action against two ministries and three senior Turkish Government officials "in response to Turkey's military operations in Syria." The Department of Treasury announced in a statement that "the Government of Turkey's Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, as well as the Minister of National Defense, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and the Minister of the Interior are blocked as a result of today's action." "The designation of these ministries and officials is a result of the Turkish Government's actions that further deteriorate peace, security, and stability of the region," it affirmed.
It stressed "we are prepared to impose additional sanctions on Government of Turkey officials and entities, as necessary." Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said in this regard that the US "is holding the Turkish Government accountable for escalating violence by Turkish forces, endangering innocent civilians, and destabilizing the region." "In addition, persons that engage in certain transactions with persons designated today may themselves be exposed to designation. Furthermore, any foreign financial institution that knowingly facilitates any significant financial transactions for or on behalf of the persons designated today could be subject to U.S. correspondent or payable through account sanctions," the Treasury noted.
For his part, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement "as the President has made clear, Turkey's actions in northeast Syria severely undermine the D-(IS) campaign, endanger civilians, and threaten the security of the entire region." He added that "if Turkey's operation continues, it will exacerbate a growing and daunting humanitarian crisis, with potentially disastrous consequences." "To avoid suffering further sanctions imposed under this new Executive Order Turkey must immediately cease its unilateral offensive in northeast Syria and return to a dialogue with the United States on security in northeast Syria," the US top diplomat stressed. (pickup previous) si