The Arab League approved tough economic sanctions against Syria on Sunday because of its violent crackdown against antigovernment protesters, an unprecedented step against an Arab country.
The sanctions included a travel ban on officials and politicians, a halt to all dealings with the Syrian central bank and the cessation of all Arab projects in Syria.
The finance ministers drafted the sanctions on Saturday at a meeting in a hotel in the Cairo suburbs rather than the league’s headquarters in Tahrir Square, the scene of clashes last week between security forces and protesters seeking to hasten civilian rule in Egypt. The sanctions will be another blow to the Syrian economy, which is already suffering from sanctions by the European Union and the United States.
Syria depends on its Arab neighbors for half of its exports and a quarter of its imports. Its two most vital sectors, tourism and oil, have ground to a halt in recent months.
For more: Arab League Approves Syrian Sanctions - NYTimes.com
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