West targets Assad with UN sanctions
European nations and the United States pressed yesterday for UN sanctions against Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and his entourage for their deadly crackdown on opposition protests.
A draft resolution circulated to the 15 nation Security Council on Tuesday by Britain, France, Germany and Portugal also calls for a total arms embargo against the country.
Assad leads a list of 23 individuals and four entities named in the draft document who would be subject to an asset freeze. The president is not on the 22-name list for a proposed travel ban however.
While western diplomats said they hope to see a vote soon on the resolution, it will face opposition from Russia and China, which have a veto of any resolution as permanent members of the council.
Brazil, India and South Africa could also raise strong reservations, diplomats predicted.
Russia's UN envoy Vitaly Churkin said ahead of Tuesday's council meeting that it was not the right time to impose sanctions.
China said that it believed there should be more dialogue.
"The parties involved should seek to peacefully and properly resolve the issue through dialogue and consultations," said foreign ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu in Beijing. "The future of Syria should be decided by Syria itself."
The resolution, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, says the international action would target all those "responsible for or complicit in ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing, violent repression against the civilian population in Syria."
According to the UN, more than 2,200 civilians have been killed since protests against Assad started in mid-March.
The president's brother, Maher al-Assad, is also on the proposed blacklist. He is commander of the army's 4th armored division, which is accused of playing a central role in suppressing protests, and a cousin Rami Makhlouf, who controls Syria's biggest cellphone firm Syriatel.
Vice President Farouq al-Shara, Defense Minister Dawud Rajiha and the heads of Syria's government and military intelligence are also on the list.
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