EU sanctions have forced Syria's sole supplier of heating fuel to halt deliveries, making it hard for Syrians to cook and heat their homes.
European Union sanctions have forced Syria's sole supplier of heating fuel to halt deliveries, making it hard for Syrians to cook and heat their homes and potentially widening opposition to the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
The EU had for humanitarian reasons allowed Greek company Naftomar to continue supplying Syria in winter with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), used for heating and cooking, but the bloc has now blacklisted the Syrian company that handled the imports. "LPG deliveries to Syria have stopped because of sanctions," said a director at Naftomar, who asked not to be named.
Most major oil firms had already severed ties with Syria for fear of defying EU measures or being linked to a bloody crackdown in which thousands have died.
Critics had said that Naftomar, by delivering the fuel, worth at least $55 million each month during the winter, might have been helping to extend Assad's rule. Naftomar defended its position on the grounds its fuel may have been preventing an even worse humanitarian crisis in Syria. Political allies Russia and Venezuela have continued to provide Syria with shipments of refined products such as gasoil, which can be used to fuel army tanks.
Imports of LPG, which hinged on Naftomar, are seen as peaceful because they play a vital role in regions with limited infrastructure for piping gas. "We understand the lack of LPG makes it difficult for the populace, including the part that is involved in protests against the government, to continue to cook and to keep themselves warm," Naftomar's director continued.
The EU has a clause allowing firms to continue deliveries for humanitarian reasons, but exemptions can only be granted by national government authorities. Naftomar does not expect to be granted an exemption because it does not directly distribute the LPG it delivers to the Syrian population.
The distribution process is handled by the state firm now on the EU blacklist.
Side-step
Syria's response to EU sanctions has been to create a new oil firm authorised to act as the central body to protect vital supplies of fuel. It has also set up a body to handle its exports of crude oil. But these new entities are unlikely to allow Syria to side-step sanctions and restart deliveries of fuel because of a clause that prohibits activities that circumvent sanctions.
"The creation of a new Syrian entity would not have any substantial effect as far as the EU is concerned," an EU official said in a statement emailed to Reuters.
"Engaging intentionally and knowingly with these new entities could be considered as a circumvention, which is also prohibited," the EU official said.
Washington is also taking new steps to discourage deliveries of fuel to Syria. In March, a U.S. House committee voted to sanction those who sell or provide Syria with refined products worth more than $1 million.
Syria's Ministry of Economy this month granted a licence for "the establishment of a private Syrian company" to export and import oil products, according to Syria Oil, a website that publishes declarations by the ministry.
"The aim of the company to import and export of petroleum products of all kinds according to the laws and regulations in force at the Ministry of Oil, as well as import and export of clean energy and equipment," a statement by the ministry of petroleum said.
It said the company would be headquartered in the province of Damascus and added that it had recently granted a similar licence to trade crude oil to another company, called Treasures Petroleum LLC. Reuters could find no details of the new Syrian companies to seek comment.
Emailed enquiries to Syrian officials seeking comment remained unanswered and ministry officials could not be reached. Syrian oil exports have ground almost to a halt since September last year. Last week, Reuters reported that Iran was helping its ally Syria defy Western sanctions by providing a vessel to ship Syrian oil to a state-run company in China. The shipment could potentially give Assad's government a financial boost worth an estimated $80 million.
(Reporting by Jessica Donati; additional reporting by Sebastian Moffett, Dmitry Zhdannikov, Justyna Pawlak)
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