Earthquake, China against the United States: Lifting sanctions on Syria

China urges the United States to put aside its “geopolitical obsessions” and lift sanctions on Syria to facilitate humanitarian aid after the earthquake that killed thousands in Turkey and northern Syria. “In the face of catastrophe, the United States must abandon its geopolitical obsessions, immediately lift unilateral sanctions against Syria and open the door to humanitarian aid,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning, who accused the US of “aggravating the humanitarian crisis”. in the country.

«I categorically reject the accusations that European sanctions could have any impact on humanitarian support in Syria – The announcement was made by the European Commissioner for Emergency Management, Janez Lenarcic – We recall that the sanctions were imposed in 2011 by the Syrian regime’s repression against its population also with the use of chemical weapons. Sanctions target the regime and its supporters and certain sectors of the economy from which the regime profits. For clarity, I share with you exactly, in detail, what the European sanctions against Syria are about. These are individual sanctions against 291 individuals and 70 entities who are subject to asset freezes and travel bans due to their role in the violent repression of the civilian population. The sanctions affect members of the regime, the army, certain businessmen and companies that obtain large profits with the war economy and that finance the regime – he underlined – Then there are the sectoral sanctions that concern some sectors of the economy with which the regime profit and are designed in a way to avoid possible negative effects on the Syrian population. Specifically, a ban on the export of equipment that can be used for internal repression and communications surveillance technology, an oil embargo from Syria; ban on trade in Syrian bonds and ban on trade in Syrian products illegally taken from Syria and ban on export of luxury goods to Syria,” he added. “Nothing that could affect the delivery of humanitarian aid and emergency assistance, especially in the current situation after the terrible earthquake.”