Ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg, the European Union ambassadors endorsed a measure imposing new sanctions on the Syrian regime

Ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg, the European Union ambassadors endorsed a measure on Monday imposing new sanctions on the Syrian regime, a diplomat said.

The sanctions would ban luxury goods exports and further restricting the sale of items used to repress dissidents.

Another diplomat told AFP that the extent of the luxury ban has yet to be defined but the aim is to deliver a symbolic blow against the posh lifestyle of President Bashar al-Assad and his British-born wife Asma.
  
"The Assad couple, as well as his inner circle and leaders of the regime must be made to understand that events in Syria will also impact their personal lives," the source added.
  
Russia at the weekend condemned the idea of new EU sanctions. "Our position concerning such sanctions is well known," said foreign affairs ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich. "We judge them unacceptable from the point of view of international law."