All options are on the table when it comes to European Union sanctions against Syria, a spokesman for the bloc's foreign policy chief said Wednesday, hours before the UN Security Council was to discuss Syria's crackdown on protesters, DPA reported.
Michael Mann, a spokesman for Catherine Ashton, said EU ambassadors will review the situation in Syria on Friday.
"I can't give details on sanctions. All options are on the table," he said. "If there is any need for concrete action to be taken, that can happen very quickly."
The United States has also threatened to tighten its current sanctions against the Syrian regime and its supporters.
The UN Security Council held a closed-door session Tuesday to discuss a draft statement reacting to the military repression of civilian protesters in Syria and reports that 300 people have been killed there since mid-March.
Diplomats said China and Russia were opposed to any move by the body to condemn Syria.
The council is due to meet later Wednesday to hear an updated briefing on the situation in the Middle East by UN officials. Discussions are also taking place at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
"All the international institutions are working together to put pressure on Syria," Mann said.