Paris sanctions meeting to hike pressure on Syria

France is to host a meeting within the next two weeks of a "working group" on Syria sanctions in an attempt to increase pressure on the Damascus regime to comply with the Annan peace plan, official sources said here Monday. In addition, Paris has agreed to host the next meeting of the "Friends of Syria" group to follow-up on a similar gathering held last Sunday in Istanbul, the Foreign Ministry announced. "While reiterating their support to the Arab League initiative and the mission of Kofi Annan, the friends of the Syrian people noted that it was important to set a time limit for the implementation by Bashar Al-Assad of the six-point plan," which he says he accepts. France, and others, have been critical of the ongoing violence in Syria despite the statement by Al-Assad's government that they would abide by the Annan plan almost a week ago. "It was agreed (in Istanbul) that in the case this plan fails, it would be necessary to go back again to the Security Council with this file," a statement here said. France was staunchly behind two resolutions in the UN body but both were vetoed by Russia and China. But those two countries have fully backed Annan's plan and they would be in difficulty if they tried to veto a fresh resolution if Syrian forces do not halt the violence. "To increase the international pressure on Damascus, France will host in the next 15 days a meeting of the working group on sanctions," the Foreign Ministry said. Paris has also been a driving force within the European Union to punish Syria for its repression over the past 12 months and the EU has voted some 12 rounds of measures, sanctioning individuals close to the regime and economic entities said to be supporting the repression. Syrian oil exports and the Central Bank have also been targeted. The French statement said that the Istanbul conference had given "new impetus" to the Syrian opposition and urged all groups to rally around the Syrian National Council (SNC), the largest single opposition faction. "The next Friends of Syrian conference will be held in Paris," the statement said, without giving specific dates. Separately, the French Foreign Ministry called for the release of Syrian journalist Ali Othman, who is said to be in danger of death and in poor health in detention. "France condemns in the strongest manner this arrest and calls for the immediate release of Ali Othman," a statement said, calling on Syria to respect press freedom and allow foreign journalists access to Syria as accepted in Annan's six-point plan.