France: EU preparing new sanctions on Syria

[August 01, 2011]  PARIS (AP) -- A Foreign Ministry spokeswoman says France and its partners in the European Union are preparing new sanctions against Syria after a government raid there left at least 70 people dead over the weekend.

Christine Fages says the European Union would soon adopt the unspecified sanctions, which would complement four other sets of sanctions by the bloc against Syrian officials and companies over the crackdown.

Fages said in a ministry briefing Monday that political, military and security officials in Syria "must know, now more than ever, that they will have to be held accountable for their acts."

Syrian security forces over the weekend shelled the city of Hama in a fierce assault aimed at crushing protests against President Bashar Assad's regime.

[Associated Press]

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