European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton condemned Tuesday the latest acts of violent repression by the Syrian regime, as the bloc was preparing to impose an oil embargo against the country, dpa reported.
Ashton, who spoke as news came of at least four civilians having been killed in the dissident city of Daraa, singled out for criticism the attacks last week against the cartoonist Ali Ferzat and the al-Rifai mosque in Damascus.
"All such attacks and the broad repression must immediately stop, detained protesters be released and a way opened toward the fulfillment of the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people," she said in a statement.
Last week, the EU tightened sanctions against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad by adding fifteen individuals and five companies to an existing travel ban and asset freeze blacklist.
That is set to be followed shortly with an oil embargo, diplomats said in Brussels. The decision was approved at technical level on Monday, and is expected to become operational by the time EU foreign ministers meet in Sopot, Poland, on Friday.
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