EU pushes for UN sanctions against Syrian “inner circle”

Four European countries have put forward a draft resolution calling for the United Nations to impose sanctions that target Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The draft resolution is being circulated among the 15 members of the U.N. Security Council, but faces opposition from Russia and China, which have the power of veto.

It was drafted by Britain, France, Germany and Portugal, and has received strong backing from the United States.

The BBC reports that the document seeks sanctions against Assad, along with 22 members of his ruling circle. It also names Syria's General Intelligence Directorate.

Agence France-Presse said it targeted those "responsible for or complicit in ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing, violent repression against the civilian population in Syria."

(Read more on GlobalPost: Obama joins calls for Bashar al-Assad to step down)

Deutsche Welle said the draft also called for an arms embargo that would forbid "the direct or indirect supply, sale or transfer to Syria … of all arms and related material".

The U.N. has previously said that Assad's regime could be guilty of crimes against humanity.

It estimates that more than 2,200 people have been killed since protests began in Syria in mid-March.

China and Russia are wary of a military style intervention, such as in Libya. However the U.S. ambassador to the U.N. said the draft resolution contained no military threat.