President orders new Syria sanctions

President Bush ordered new sanctions Wednesday to punish officials in Syria, saying Damascus undermines stability in Iraq and meddles in Lebanon’s sovereignty and democracy.

Bush, in an executive order, said he was expanding penalties against senior Syrian officials and their associates deemed to be responsible for, or to have benefited from, public corruption. The order did not name the officials.

The White House said Wednesday’s order built on one Bush issued in May 2004 that banned all U.S. exports to Syria except for food and medicine. His earlier action followed long-standing complaints that the Middle Eastern nation was supporting terrorism and undermining U.S. efforts in Iraq.

The 2004 order also banned flights to and from the U.S.; authorized the Treasury Department to freeze assets of Syrian nationals and entities allegedly involved in terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, the then-occupation of Lebanon or support for militants in Iraq; and restricted banking ties between U.S. banks and the Syrian national bank.

The U.S. had complained that Syria was supporting militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah and failing to stop guerrillas from crossing the border into Iraq.

A White House statement on Wednesday said Syria was undermining efforts to stabilize Iraq.

Syria’s government “continues to pursue other activities that deny the Syrian people the political freedoms and economic prosperity they deserve, and that undercut the peace and stability of the region,” according to the statement.

“Syria continues to undermine Lebanon’s sovereignty and democracy, imprison democracy advocates, curtail human rights and sponsor and harbor terrorists,” it said.