The Easing of the US Sanctions is Misleading: Syria

On Friday, Syria described the US decision on the partial and temporary suspension of some sanctions as misleading and false.

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US Eases Sanctions on Syria To Allow Earthquake Aid

The Syrian Foreign Affairs Ministry explained that the U.S. Treasury Department's latest decision is a copy of previous documents that only seek to create a false impression by stipulating alleged exemptions for humanitarian purposes.

"The facts on the ground, however, prove otherwise," Syrian diplomacy said, noting that Washington still upholds its arbitrary sanctions.

"U.S. coercitive measures and policies have deprived the Syrian people of enjoying their looted natural wealth and limited the ability of State institutions to improve living conditions, achieve development goals, and provide basic services," it added.

The Treasury Department's latest decision only tries to beautify the international image of the United States, hiding that this country is responsible for "obstructing efforts to rescue those affected by the earthquake and meet the basic needs of the Syrian people."

Syrian diplomacy also requested "all countries and international organizations, which have stood by the Syrian people in their plight as a result of the devastating earthquake, to demand an unconditional lifting of the inhumane, immoral, an illegal blockade."

As of Friday noon, Syrian authorities had confirmed 3,597 deaths from the quakes. "Rescue teams are working on only 5 percent of the disaster area due to their sparse numbers and lack of spare equipment," LebUpdate tweeted.