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WASHINGTON - President Bush on Tuesday banned all U.S. exports to Syria except for food and medicine, ordering sanctions after long-standing complaints that the Middle Eastern nation was supporting terrorism and undermining U.S. efforts in Iraq.
The actions of the Syrian government - including pursuing weapons of mass destruction and occupying Lebanon - represent an "extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States," Bush said in signing an executive order imposing sanctions.
The measures also include a ban on flights to and from the United States; authorization to the Treasury Department to freeze assets of Syrian nationals and entities involved in terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, occupation of Lebanon or terror in Iraq; and restrictions on relations between U.S. banks and the Syrian national bank.
The measures follow complaints by the United States that Syria was supporting militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah and failing to stop guerrillas from crossing the border into Iraq.
U.S. exports to Syria totaled $214-million last year. Syrian exports to the United States amounted to $259-million, much of that petroleum products.
In Damascus, the Syrian capital, Ahmed Haj Ali, media adviser to the information minister, said the sanctions's effects will be more political than economic.
Diplomatic relations with Syria were not severed. One reason, State Department officials said, was to keep the door open to any prospect of Syria participating in Middle East peacemaking.
Trade with Syria already was limited by sanctions imposed because Syria is one of seven countries branded supporters of terror by the State Department.