Arab League agrees to Syria sanctions

[Little Tich]

Source: Al Jazeera

Arab finance ministers approve a draft plan for sanctions against Syria in an attempt to end the country's violence.

Finance ministers from the Arab League have agreed on a draft plan for a package of economic sanctions against Syria, including the suspension of commercial flights to the country and dealings with the central bank.

The decision came after a meeting of the league's economic and social committee in Cairo on Saturday night. Its recommendations will now be passed to the full Arab League for consideration.

The organisation had set a Friday deadline for Damascus to allow rights monitors into the country, but the deadline passed with no firm commitment from Syrian officials.

The sanctions package also calls for Arab states to freeze the overseas bank accounts of key Syrian regime officials.



Read more: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2011/11/20111126182516483551.html

[ProgressiveProfessor]

1. Hopefully more effective than they were in Libya

[Turborama]

2. Arab League Approves (Tough Economic & Travel) Sanctions Against Syria

Source: NYT

By NADA BAKRI and NEIL MacFARQUHAR
Published: November 27, 2011

BEIRUT, Lebanon — The Arab League approved tough economic sanctions against Syria on Sunday because of its violent crackdown against antigovernment protesters, an unprecedented step against an Arab country.

The sanctions included a travel ban on officials and politicians, a halt to all dealings with the Syrian central bank and the cessation of all Arab projects in Syria.

The finance ministers drafted the sanctions on Saturday at a meeting in a hotel in the Cairo suburbs rather than the league’s headquarters in Tahrir Square, the scene of clashes last week between security forces and protesters seeking to hasten civilian rule in Egypt.

=snip=

Syria depends on its Arab neighbors for half of its exports and a quarter of its imports. Its two most vital sectors, tourism and oil, have ground to a halt in recent months.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/28/world/middleeast/arab-league-prepares-to-vote-on-syrian-sanctions.html?_r=1

[DCBob]

3. Good. Its encouraging to see the Arab league take the lead on this..

rather than US or Europe. The less proimient role we take in matters like this the better for everyone.

[UndertheOcean]

4. good !! n/t

[Turborama]

5. K&R n/t

[UndertheOcean]

6. k&r n/t

[pampango]

7. "The move is unprecedented for the League...even Arab states are growing impatient with Assad's

refusal to end violence."

http://m.ctv.ca/topstories/20111127/syria-assad-regime-arab-league-sanctions-vote-111127.html

Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim said 19 of the League's 22 member nations approved the sanctions. Iraq and Lebanon abstained from the vote. Bin Jassim said the sanctions include cutting off transactions with the Syrian central bank and cutting Arab governments' funding for projects in Syria.

Nikolaos van Dam, a former diplomat and Middle East scholar, said the source of the sanctions – rather than the sanctions themselves -- could exert pressure on Assad's regime. "U.S. and European sanctions are one thing, but coming from the Arab brothers and sisters, it is psychologically and realistically much more damaging," he told The Associated Press earlier this week.

There is, however, a chance that the Arab League may reconsider the sanctions but only if Syria agrees to an Arab-brokered peace plan, said Arab League Secretary General Nabil Elaraby. Part of the plan would include sending observers to the country and pulling tanks from the streets, said Elaraby.

The measures are reminiscent of a peace deal Syria struck with the Arab League in early November. Assad's regime didn't end up honouring the agreement, which called for Syria to release political prisoners and open up a dialogue with the opposition. Syria's defiance appeared to fray the League's final nerves, triggering the coalition to suspend the country from the League. Prior to Libya's suspension this year, the League hadn't suspended a member since 1979.