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U.S. preparing new sanctions on Syria

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U.S. preparing new sanctions on Syria
sabri
04/27/02 at 14:32:31
[slm]

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Monday, April 22, 2002

The United States is considering imposing new sanctions on Syria.

Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate that would ensure additional sanctions on Damascus unless it ends support for terrorism. Syria appears on the State Department list of terrorist sponsors and harbors several Islamic and Palestinian insurgency groups.

The additional sanctions would include a ban on the export to Syria of any weapons or munitions as well as dual-use items. Such items appear on the the U.S. Munitions List or Commerce Department's Control List of dual-use productions. In addition, Washington would ban all U.S. government assistance to Damascus as well as investment in and the export of U.S. products to Syria.

Under the bill, Syrian diplomats in Washington and New York would be forced to travel only within a 25 mile [40 kilometer] radius from those two cities. U.S. diplomats would be required to reduce contact with Damascus and Washington would block any financial transaction in which the Syrian government has an interest.

The bill sets four conditions for Syria to avoid additional sanctions. They are the termination of Syrian support for terrorist groups, the withdrawal of all Syrian military or security personnel from Lebanon, the end of Syria's missile and nonconventional weapons programs, and certification that Syria is no longer in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.

These include resolutions against terrorism and the occupation of Lebanon, which contains more than 20,000 Syrian troops. Damascus is also said to be importing up to 200,000 barrels of oil in violation of UN sanctions on Iraq.

Under the bill, termed the Syria Accountability Act and unveiled last week, President George Bush would have to certify these conditions. The bill provides the president with what sponsors termed a "menu of sanctions" as well as a provision to wave these measures if determined that sanctions would hurt U.S. national security interests.

"The government of Syria continues to develop and deploy short and medium range ballistic missiles," the bill said. "The government of Syria is pursuing the development and production of biological and chemical weapons."

U.S. law prevents the transfer of most aid to Syria because of its inclusion in the State Department list of terrorist sponsors. But the sponsors said fewer U.S. sanctions apply to Syria than to other states that appear on the State Department list.

"The United States will not provide any assistance to Syria and will oppose multilateral assistance for Syria until Syria withdraws its armed forces from Lebanon, halts the development and deployment of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles, and complies with Security Council Resolution 661 [sanctions on Iraq] and subsequent relevant resolutions," the legislation said.

Since 1990 the House and Senate and House have passed seven bills and resolutions that call for the withdrawal of Syrian armed forces from Lebanon.

[wlm]


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