France Calls for More Sanctions against Syria

France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius welcomed Monday's agreement to impose fresh EU sanctions against Syria but called on the 27-nation bloc "to go further".

"I'm satisfied that these new sanctions have been adopted but I would like to go further," Fabius told a news conference held during talks between European Union foreign ministers.

He also said Syria's downing of a Turkish military jet was "unacceptable".

"This plane was not carrying arms and was on a routine flight ... there was no prior warning," he added. "This is completely unacceptable."

The French minister, attending his first such talks since being handed the foreign affairs portfolio last month, notably suggested the European Union could ban Syrian phosphate imports.

He said banking and telecommunications firms were among the six entities targeted by an asset freeze in the EU's latest 16th round of sanctions against President Bashar Assad's regime.