Arab Committee Approves Travel-Bans for Syrian Officials

Doha , December 03 (QNA) - The Arab Ministerial Committee on Syria approved on Sunday a list of senior Syrian officials to be banned from entering Arab states and whose assets will be frozen. The committee also asked the technical executive committee to examine and make a list of Syrian businessmen suspected of funding the oppression of Syrian people. The committee also agreed on a list of strategic goods that were excluded from the sanctions recommended by the technical committee. The ministerial committee asked the technical committee to look into the exceptions presented from neighboring countries, and to study a new aquatic route for goods travelling from Turkey to Jordan and the GCC states . The committee also agreed to ban exporting all kinds of weapon to Syria, and to reduce air trips going into or out of Syrian by 50%, including Syrian air companies. The decision will take effect from December 15, 2011 until the end of the month. The ministerial committee also asked Arab Red Crescent societies to put in place an emergency humanitarian plan that takes into consideration the humanitarian needs of Syrian people. It also asked Arab League Secretary-General to reply to inquiries made on December 1 by Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates. The inquiries were regarding the articles of the protocol and the functions of the Arab League's monitors mission, in addition to asking the Syrian side to clarify its position with regard to all the articles of the Arab initiative on the crisis in Syria. A Ministerial meeting of the Arab Coordination Committee on Syria was held earlier today in Doha, chaired by HE Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, and attended by Arab League's Secretary-General and heads of delegations of Arab countries. The committee looked into the recommendation of the technical committee for the sanctions on Syria. The committee decided to impose travel ban on 19 Syrian officials to Arab countries and to freeze their assets in Arab countries. (END)