E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSEuropean Union states are set to ban Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's wife Asma from travel to and shopping in the EU, diplomats said, cranking up pressure on his government to end a bloody crackdown on popular unrest.
A British-born former investment banker who had once cultivated an image of a woman inspired by Western values, Asma al-Assad has become a hate figure for many Syrians. She has stood by her husband during a year-long crackdown on popular unrest in which the U.N. says at least 8,000 people have died.
In recent weeks she became the focus of media attention when a trove of emails between her and her husband obtained by Britain's Guardian newspaper appeared to show them shopping for pop music and luxury items while Syria descended into bloodshed.
The EU has responded to Syria's violence with a broad range of sanctions, which include a ban on Syrian oil imports to Europe and measures against the Syrian central bank and other companies and state institutions.
On Friday, it is expected to take new steps. For Asma, they will mean she will no longer be able to travel to the EU or buy products from EU-based companies, in her own name.
Foreign ministers of EU member states are set to agree on a new round of measures, the bloc's 13th, and impose asset freezes and bans on travel to the EU against 12 people, include Asma.
Finally, UN reaches agreement over 'extremely dangerous crisis' in Syria
A prohibition for European companies to do business with two more Syrian entities is also planned.
"The text (of sanctions) has gone through," said one EU diplomat, referring to an agreement reached by EU envoys in Brussels to a list of new sanctions. Another diplomat confirmed Assad's wife is included in the list of sanctioned individuals.
The list still needs formal approval from ministers. It will become public on Saturday when new sanctions are due to go into effect.
Assad himself has been a target since May last year, but sanctions have had little impact on his policies so far.
Violence has intensified in recent weeks as pro-government forces bombard rebel towns and villages, looking to sweep their lightly armed opponents out of their strongholds.
The international community has struggled to formulate a joint approach in the face of opposition from Russia and China to any resolution by the U.N. Security Council.
Assad absorbed a major diplomatic blow on Wednesday, however, when Russia and China joined the Security Council in voicing support for U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan's bid to end violence that has brought Syria to the brink of civil war.
More from msnbc.com and NBC News:
- 3 cops hurt in shootout with under-siege suspect in Jewish slayings
- Finally, UN reaches agreement over 'extremely dangerous crisis' in Syria
- Reports: Pirates free British tourist after relatives pay ransom
- Damage to world's oceans could hit $2 trillion a year, experts say
Follow us on Twitter: @msnbc_world
Copyright 2013 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.
Leave a Comment:
That'll bring Assad around. Once he finds out his wife can't travel and shop, he'll be begging for terms in no time.
I'd agree to terms too.
Who'd want a militant wife thats used to getting her way, only come to find out that she can't buy anything?
That'd be a scarier warzone than the streets of their hometown.
Especially since she claims to be the 'real' dictator in Syria. The first time she gets turned around from being refused entry on one of her shopping excursions, the peace talks will commence.
EU had better have the guts to keep the ban in place until the deal is sealed and implemented.
No doubt, Assad is laughing his ass off right now. Wait my wife can't shop anymore? Way to do this guy a favor EU.
Hell I think they found a perfect way to handle upidy dictators.
Thus future dictators will avoid having wives, or at least if they do, they won't spoil them to the point that she thinks she can get anything she wants.
She can still order online.
these people are more stupid than i thought . the west need to get a freaking grip on themself , go assad kick all these alquida groups butts ,while you at it do not foget the SAUDIES AND QATARIS. SOMEBODY NEED TO TEACH THEM A LESSON , i thought we would but we went after IRAQ instead , what a shame
Agreed and agreed!
My Turn:
Yeah, let's "kick butt"!
That's the only solution you have to offer? Maybe we can have Bush stop by and do his "mission accomplished" dance, when you're all done with that?
Have you ever thought that killing and murdering innocent civilians actually EMBOLDENS the support of resistance and zealous organizations such as Al-Qaeda?
I smell another Ceaușescu in the works.
hey Rnaman87 have you seen these innocent civilians that Assad killing its the other way around buddy 8000 people died in syria 4000 from the syrian security forces i guess they donot tell you that and if he is so brutal why donot he just send the air force and bomb these people back to saudia arabia and libya and qatar, hell thats what isreal do and you know what buddy thats what we did in IRAQ in FALLOJA we bombed the city civilians and all , Syrian civilians churchs and homes been attacked by these innocent rebels look at them , what do they remind of ? Alquida in Iraq when they use to attack our troops , so please do not let CNN and others tell you and show you all these made up clips of cheldrens and womens the people are doing all these clips are stationed in london , ask Anderson cooper and his buddy the french reporter that have his picture made with the Alquida fighters in Libya .
4000 security servicement dead? That's a number from Syrian state reports. You don't seriously believe that drivel, do you? To get to that number there would be constant and open warfare everywhere in Syria, with hundreds dead in every engagement. This civil war has gone slowly enough for the foreign media to track it assault by assault.
As for why Assad doesn't bomb the cities, it's far cheaper and more effective to use artillery when you don't actually have to leave the country to do your fighting. And he has. There has been constant, indiscriminate shelling in these cities.
I'm sure he probably has killed some Al Quaida here and there, and sure, yay for that, but the majority of these people dying aren't even rebels, but citizens caught in the crossfire. His forces even laid mines near the border in the way of refugees fleeing the fighting.
Bashar is going to get a Prada high heel in the eye for this. What a heartless b-i-t-c-h!
Europe has a bigger worries than Assad's wife.
Is it not invasion of privacy for reporters to snoop private emails? Protetion applies only to Europeans. All otehrs will be judge byif they kiss EU's ass or USA ass or not.
Dude, your suothern tiers is falling apart and chinese may be charge of your life soon and if Israel goes to Iran, watch out for future of your children. Money will be needed for food and heat. Oil can sell for a one silver coin a gallon.
Raj...............................That almost sounded like a threat?
A threat? That sounded like nonsense to me. Use a spell check, man.
Spell check it, and Raj won't understand it.
A shopping ban? Oh, the inhumanity!
"The Horror"!!! (Marlin Brando....Apocolypse Now)
What !!! No more Gucci bags !!! That is just uncalled for ......you guys in the EU really know how to lay down some sanctions...wow !
Just recently, she said that she is the real dictator of Syria. It just makes sense that she should be the target of sanctions.
OMG! Whatever will the poor woman do? You think she'll be seen in rags or, God forbid, last year's attire?
Perish the thought.
A lot of husbands would be happy if the EU could also ban their wives from shopping.
She will just get her stuff using someone else's name.
True... but she's not going to be happy about this. (if I could be "but a fly on the wall")
The Assads will soon be joining the Ceaușescus on a lamp post.
I would think a good escape plan(s), would be one of the first entries in the "Be a Dictator, for Dummies", book.
For the time being though, it looks like they have the killing routine hammered out nicely.
Dictators are generally egomaniacs who think that their people exist just to serve them. Along with that thinking is the feeling of invincibility. Of course as we have seen in the past, all that can come to a rather sudden end. Qaddafi apparently didn't have an escape plan. Neither did the Ceausescu's or Mussolini. They all probably thought that they didn't need one.
This is got to be one of the lamest sanctions ever made. Way to go EU, this will surely end the suffering in Syria.
Usually, the only ones hurt by sanctions are the people suffering under the dictator. After all, the dictator will deprive others of the things they need before he deprives himself of anything.
Can we get the same ban on Barracks Wife as well. She shops on Air Force 1 and that costs us money
sammy, does it hurt, being that stupid?
Couldn't help himself....too much Fox
You guys must be left Wing Racists
Liberals are like little kids with credit cards. You tell them NO you cannot afford this, but they spend anyways? It defies reason! They always have to run to the aide of the President and his wife when Conservatives make snarky comments.
It is funny that we are talking about the EU, because they are the American equivalent of Liberals, absolute idiots who have never heard the word math before.
Ahhh... moron, thy name in this instance is sammy72746.
The only ones hurt are Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Channel, and so on.
She said she's a " dick taster " not dictator
That's such a nice public comment! So much for me encouraging my young daughter to read the news.
She can read the news, just read the comments at your own risk.
She'll just send out a courier. Easy enough.
Why not do the same for GWB and Cheney?
WTF.....Asma ......$ 120.000 on toilet paper ? I could have gotten it cheaper for $ 119,000 at Wal-Mart. Girl you need to start thinking of about owr budget !
That will do it EU way to use your heads. No wonder the entire EU's financial system is falling apart.
The European Union is a mamby-pamby socialist organization. Taking away the Syrian Presisdents, wife's shopping privledges? Really? Common? How stupid are these people?
Somebody should take the check-book away from the EU. That is the only financial changes that should be made. The Countries of the EU have massive public debt, and lack luster GDP's. Germany keeps bailing them out... I have news for the lazy ass people of France, Italy, Greece and Spain. Make your lazy ass people work to support themselves, and quit worrying about every one else. People in glass houses should not throw stones EU phonies!
obama has to keep raising the national debt ceiling to support his fat butt wifes spending habits.
Totally amazes me that people (if that is what you call these dogs) can watch a little baby boy die a slow death on a video and not care at all for human life. I could not stop thinking about that little boy that night. I cried myself to sleep. He could not breathe and he was so beautiful.
I hope they truly burn in hell for all of eternity!!! No matter how much she shops anywhere in the world she is still a lower class citizen because she is married to that piece of @!$%#.
Ban on her shopping? Hell her and all women should be banned from going anywhere except the Grocery Store and the Kitchen.
Shopping while Syria boils in turmoil.
That's the modern equivalent of fiddling while Rome burns I guess.
Considering the poverty the rest of this regime's constituents (wrong word? maybe slaves?) lives she deserves the ban. She is so clueless to anything but spending money it seems to me she should not be allowed to live.