By the CNN Wire Staff
- A demonstration in support of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on August 23.
(CNN) — Russia’s foreign minister slammed the European Union sanctions against Syria, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported Saturday.
“We’ve always said that unilateral sanctions will bring no good. It destroys the partnership approach to any crisis,” Sergei Lavrov said.
The EU imposed a ban Friday on the import of Syrian oil, which is one of the latest diplomatic moves against Bashar al-Assad’s embattled regime.
The action was expected. The EU has been a top market for Syrian oil, and the group said it intended to make the move which will have a detrimental impact on the Syrian government’s oil revenues.
The EU also added four more Syrians and three entities to a list of those targeted by an asset freeze and a travel ban. But there is an exemption to the asset freeze for humanitarian purposes.
World powers have been bearing down on the al-Assad regime because of the government’s ferocious crackdown against peaceful protesters for nearly six months.
edition.cnn.com, 03 September 2011