EU foreign ministers have decided to suspend sanctions against Syria to aid its economic recovery after 14 years of civil war. This includes removing five financial entities from sanctions and allowing funds for humanitarian and reconstruction purposes. The EU will monitor the situation, with the possibility of reinstating sanctions if necessary. The sanctions were initially imposed due to the violent crackdown on protests by Bashar al-Assad's regime. Human Rights Watch has criticized these sanctions for harming civilians and hindering access to essential services. Teljes cikk (Euronews.com)