Russia Condemns EU Oil Sanctions on Syria

Local Editor

Russia condemned EU's move to step up sanctions on Syria by banning imports of its oil.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the sanctions would "lead to nothing good".
 
"We are against unilateral sanctions," Reuters quoted Lavrov as saying, on the sidelines of a summit of ex-Soviet states in the Tajik capital Dushanbe.
 
"This ruins the partnership approach to any crisis," he stressed.

Russia has also said it is maintaining arms sales to long-term partner Syria despite pressure from the United States.

Russia, which has a veto on the Security Council, refuses to back a resolution imposing an arms embargo or asset freeze.

Russian deputy foreign minister Mikhail Bogdanov said after talks in Damascus on Monday that there was no change in Russia's policy towards Syria.

The EU on Friday approved sanctions on oil imports from Syria, but they will not come into effect before mid October regarding the ongoing contracts.

Source: News Agencies