EU introduces embargo on arms supplies to Syria

LONDON, May 10 (Itar-Tass) - The European Union on Monday decided to
introduce an embargo on arms supplies to Syria, the British satellite
channel Sky News reported.
The EU imposed an arms embargo Monday on Syria, where the government
is conducting a violent and sometimes lethal crackdown on pro-democracy
protesters, according to the Associated Press. The EU is banning the
shipment to Libya of "arms and equipment that could be used for internal
repression," an EU statement said late Monday. The EU also is prohibiting
13 Syrian "officials and associates of the Syrian regime" from travelling
anywhere in the 27-nation union, and is freezing their assets, the
statement said. The 13 have been identified as being responsible for the
violent repression against the civilian population, it said.
An EU official said late last week that Syrian President Bashar Assad
would not be among those sanctioned. The official spoke on condition of
anonymity in exchange for disclosing confidential information. The EU will
publish the names of those sanctioned in its official journal Tuesday, AP
reported.