As the US pulls troops out of Europe in the "Pacific century," the financial crisis is seeing EU countries' capabilities erode.

The EU is to add the Syrian leader's wife, mother, sister and sister-in-law to its blacklist, as well as eight members of his government and two oil firms.

Firms in the UK, France, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Spain and Europe's own European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company made around €75 billion from selling weapons in 2010.

In a direct echo of previous events in Libya, France has formally recoginsed the opposition Syrian National Council and proposed that international troops should protect civilians.

France and Russia have in separate statements warned that a US or Israeli strike against Iran's alleged nuclear weapons facilities could destabilise the Middle East.