The European Union plans to pursue an association agreement with Syria despite fresh US sanctions imposed last week over its alleged support for terrorism, a European energy official said Sunday.
Loyola de Palacio, vice president of the European Commission charged with energy and transport, said the EU was determined to boost relations with Syria and hoped the long-delayed association agreement would be finalised soon.
Her comments came at the start of a visit to Damascus just days after US President George W. Bush imposed new sanctions on Syria.
The sanctions include a near-blanket ban on US exports to Syria and the power to freeze Syrian assets in the United States.
Palacio acknowledged the US stance but said the EU would continue to pursue its own strategy of engagement.
Apart from Libya, Syria is the only Mediterranean country which has not signed an association agreement with the EU, designed to create a free-trade zone in the region.
Palacio earlier met Prime Minister Mohammed Naji Otri, whom she urged to accelerate structural reforms in the Syrian energy sector. She also spoke of the need to create a regional gas market.
Comments
Comments are closed.