Syria's al-Assad must step aside, EU ministers demand

CNN News, by the CNN Wire Staff, October 10, 2011

Syrians demonstrate in support of President Bashar al-Assad (poster)
in central Damascus on August 23, 2011.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• EU ministers accuse Syria of possible crimes against humanity
• They extend sanctions against Belarus for its crackdown on the opposition
• They also will discuss Iran's increased use of the death penalty
• Libya and Yemen are also on the agenda

(CNN) -- Syria's President Bashar al-Assad "must step aside," European Union foreign ministers said in a blistering statement Monday, adding the Syrian government's crackdown on anti-government protesters may amount to crimes against humanity.

"The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms the ongoing brutal repression led by the Syrian regime," they said after a meeting in Luxembourg.

Syria's leader must resign "to allow a political transition to take place in Syria," they said.

And they welcomed the creation of the umbrella opposition Syrian National Council, a day after Syria's foreign minister warned other nations against recognizing it.

The ministers said they were "deeply disappointed" that the United Nations Security Council failed to increase sanctions on Syria -- a milder statement than had been expected.

The statement came out of a meeting of all 27 European Union foreign ministers.

They renewed and expanded sanctions on Belarus.

Nearly 200 people were already subject to an asset freeze and travel ban over the "crackdown on civil society and democratic opposition" after the last two presidential elections.

The EU added three companies and 16 individuals to the list of those facing restrictions, and it extended the existing restrictions until the end of October 2012, it announced. It is expected to name them on Tuesday.

The harsh words on Syria follow last week's failure by the U.N. Security Council to agree on a resolution calling for an immediate end to a military crackdown against opponents of President al-Assad.

China and Russia opposed the resolution, which was supported by the EU's Great Britain and France as well as the United States.

Al-Assad has been under international pressure to end a seven-month crackdown on demonstrators calling for the end to his regime.

The European Union has slapped Syria with a number of sanctions, including barring the import of Syrian oil and banning the delivery of Syrian currency produced in the EU to the Syrian Central Bank. It also has placed travel restrictions on and frozen the assets of officials it says are involved in the attacks on the opposition.

EU foreign ministers also will take up discussion of Iran's increased use of the death penalty, "including executions of minors."

"In view of the deteriorating situation, it is likely to reinforce the EU's restrictive measures against persons responsible for serious human rights violations," the meeting outline said.

Iran has been hit by the EU with economic and trade sanctions related to its nuclear program. The ministers also froze the assets of 32 Iranians accused of human rights violations and banned them from entering EU territory.

The ministers extended the visa ban and asset freeze on 192 people in Belarus who the EU maintains are responsible for political repression and "violations of the international electoral standards" in the former Soviet republic's 2006 and 2010 presidential elections.

The sanctions were imposed against Belarus following the December 2010 presidential election that saw the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko amid allegations of widespread electoral fraud.

The government cracked down on mass protests following the election, including the beating and jailing of former presidential candidate Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu. Other political figures and journalists also were jailed.

The Council also expressed support for Libya's interim government.

Among other issues, according to the outline, to be discussed during the meeting:

The ministers will appeal for direct talks to resume between Palestinians and Israelis within a month, under terms outlined by the Middle East Quartet -- the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.

The ministers also will review recent developments in Yemen, while calling for a peaceful transition of power under a peace plan hammered out by a regional bloc of Gulf Arab nations.

CNN's Chelsea J. Carter contributed to this report.