President of the United States Donald Trump has ordered to extend for one more year a set of unilateral sanctions against Syria, the White House said in a statement.
"The regime’s brutal war on the Syrian people, who have been calling for freedom and a representative government, not only endangers the Syrian people themselves, but also generates instability throughout the region," the statement quoted President Trump as saying.
"The Syrian regime’s actions and policies, including pursuing and using chemical weapons, supporting terrorist organizations, and obstructing the Lebanese government’s ability to function effectively continue to foster the rise of extremism and sectarianism and pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States," Trump stated in his message to the Congress.
"For these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to continue in effect the national emergency declared with respect to this threat and to maintain in force the sanctions to address this national emergency," the US president said.
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The United States had been gradually introducing various restrictive measures in regard to Damascus between 2004 and 2012. The restrictions at the issue stipulate in particular the freeze of assets of individuals and companies under the US jurisdiction, ban exports of certain categories of American goods and services.
"… the United States condemns the [Syrian President Bashar] Assad regime’s use of brutal violence and human rights abuses and calls on the Assad regime to stop its violent war, uphold existing ceasefires, enable the delivery of humanitarian assistance, and negotiate a political transition in Syria that will forge a credible path to a future of greater freedom, democracy, opportunity, and justice," Trump stated.
"The United States will consider changes in the composition, policies, and actions of the Government of Syria in determining whether to continue or terminate this national emergency in the future," the US president added.
