US temporarily relaxes punitive sanctions on Syria for earthquake relief efforts

The US Treasury issued a decision allowing the return of financial transactions related to earthquake relief to Syria for 180 days, except for unilateral coercive measures it imposes on the Syrian people.

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) of the US Department of the Treasury stated on Thursday on its website that it issued General License No. 23 for Syria, which allows for a period of 180 days all transactions related to earthquake relief that would have been prohibited by the Syrian sanctions regulations (SYSR).

The US Treasury considered that license 23 provides the broad mandate necessary to support immediate relief efforts in cases of disasters in Syria and includes allowing to process or transfer funds on behalf of persons from other countries to or from Syria to support the transactions authorized under this general license.

Western coercive measures cause suffering to the Syrian people, as these unilateral measures target all aspects of life and the vital and service sectors in Syria for years.

E.M