Washington, Mar 11: The Bush administration will act soon to impose firm sanctions against Syria, which it accuses of sponsoring terrorism, a State Department official said.
''I think you'll see the implementation very shortly, and I think it will be a very firm implementation of the Syrian Accountability Act and the intent behind it,'' William Burns, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, told a committee in the House of Representatives yesterday.
The administration is expected to impose economic sanctions, rather than diplomatic ones, according to congressional sources and other people familiar with the matter.
Congress sent President George W Bush legislation for the sanctions in November. Lawmakers have pressured bush since then to impose penalties on Syria, which Washington accuses of sponsoring terrorism, occupying Lebanon and failing to secure its border with Iraq and allowing anti-American fighters to make their way there.
The legislation barred trade in items that could be used in weapons programs until the administration certifies Syria is not supporting terrorist groups, has withdrawn personnel from Lebanon, is not developing weapons of mass destruction and has secured its border with Iraq.
It also called on Bush to impose at least two other sanctions from a menu of economic and diplomatic penalties that includes barring US businesses from investing in Syria, restricting travel in the United States by Syrian diplomats, and banning exports of US products other than food and medicine to Syria.
Bureau Report
