EU Tightens Arms Embargo on Syria

The European Union on Monday tightened sanctions on Syria and required member nations to board ships and airplanes carrying suspicious cargo to the country.

The 27 EU ministers added 29 names to an existing list of over 170 Syrian individuals and companies believed to be associated with the repression, or benefiting from President Bashar Assad's regime.

They also endorsed a plan to enforce the bloc's existing arms embargo, requiring inspections on the territory or in the territorial waters of EU states.

"Our decisions will strengthen sanctions against the Assad regime and also help neighboring countries, mainly Jordan and Lebanon, who will have to take in many of the refugees. We're doing both things," said French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.

The EU banned weapons exports to Syria in May, 2011. But until now, the 28 member nations had the right to decide whether or not to inspect cargos believed to be in breach of the embargo.

Syria's military arsenal is mainly of Soviet and Russian origin. Very little of its weaponry originates from Western nations, which makes it unlikely that the EU arms embargo will have a significant effect on the situation on the ground.

In January, a Russian ship that made an unscheduled stop in EU-member Cyprus while carrying tons of arms to Syria was allowed to continue its journey after changing its destination. And last month, another Russian-operated ship heading to Syria with a load of weapons turned back after its British insurer decided to remove the vessel's coverage.

"Sanctions are part of this whole way of trying to put pressure on regime," said Catherine Ashton, the EU foreign policy chief. "They will prevent any arms from reaching Syria."