EU imposes new sanctions Jordanian king wants Assad to resignBEIRUT — Syria incurred more European sanctions and criticism from Turkey and Jordan Monday after a surprise Arab League decision to suspend its membership for failing to halt months of violence against protesters opposed to President Bashar Al-Assad. Syria looks ever more isolated, but still has the support of Russia, which said the Arab League had made the wrong move and accused the West of inciting Assad's opponents. The popular uprising against Assad, inspired by revolts elsewhere in the Arab World, has plunged Syria into turmoil and devastated its economy, driving away tourists and investors, while Western sanctions have crippled Syrian oil exports. Jordan's King Abdullah said Assad should quit in the interest of his country. “I believe, if I were in his shoes, I would step down,” the king told BBC World News in an interview. He said Assad should begin a new era of political dialogue before leaving to ensure a change in the status quo. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moualem said the Arab League's decision, due to take effect on Wednesday, was “an extremely dangerous step” at a time when Damascus was implementing a deal to end violence and start a dialogue with the opposition. Syria has called for an emergency Arab League summit in an apparent effort to forestall its suspension. The League, which has yet to respond to Syria's request, plans to meet Syrian opposition groups Tuesday. Moualem said Syria had withdrawn troops from urban areas, released prisoners and offered an amnesty to armed insurgents under an initiative agreed with the Arab League two weeks ago. Yet violence has intensified since then, especially in the central city of Homs, pushing the death toll in eight months of unrest to more than 3,500 by a UN count. Non-Arab Turkey, after long courting Assad, has lost patience with its neighbor's failure to halt the violence and implement promised reforms. It now hosts the main Syrian opposition and has given refuge to defecting Syrian soldiers. The European Union agreed to extend penalties against Syria to 18 more individuals linked with the crackdown on dissent, but signaled that Western military action was unlikely. Cranking up economic pressure, EU foreign ministers, meeting in Brussels, also approved plans to stop Syria accessing funds from the European Investment Bank. “It's very important in the European Union that we consider additional measures to add to the pressure on the Assad regime to stop the unacceptable violence against the people of Syria,” British Foreign Secretary William Hague told reporters. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said those who had decided to suspend Damascus from the Arab League had “lost a very important opportunity to shift the situation into a more transparent channel”. The head of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation also warned of a possible internationalization of the Syrian crisis if the regime does not comply with calls for reform and end the bloodshed. If Syria “does not comply with the legitimate demands of the Syrian people and international calls by the OIC, the Arab League and the United Nations, it will risk internationalization of its crisis,” Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said.
