Bush renews sanctions on Syria

US President George W. Bush on Thursday renewed economic sanctions he imposed on Syria one year ago, accusing Syria of supporting terrorism and undermining US efforts to stabilize and rebuild Iraq.

In a letter to the House speaker and Senate majority leader, Bush announced his decision and said Syria poses "a continuing, unusual, and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States."

Bush also accused Syria of "supporting terrorism, pursuing weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, undermining United States and international efforts with respect to the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq, and with respect to Lebanon."

Syria has denied all the charges.

On May 11, 2004, Bush imposed the Syria sanctions which include the ban of all US exports to Syria except for food and medicine, a ban of flights to and from the United States and authorization to the US Treasury Department to freeze assets of Syrian citizens and entities alleged by the United States to be involved in terrorism and weapons of mass destruction.

Source: Xinhua