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EU to decide on Libya sanctions within days, Ashton says

Arab World Materials 25 February 2011 14:03 (UTC +04:00)
The European Union is to decide within days on what sanctions it could impose on Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi, the bloc's foreign policy chief said Friday
EU to decide on Libya sanctions within days, Ashton says

The European Union is to decide within days on what sanctions it could impose on Libyan leader Moamer Gaddafi, the bloc's foreign policy chief said Friday, dpa reported.

On Monday, EU foreign ministers condemned the bloody crackdown launched by Gaddafi against pro-democracy demonstrators, but decided not to impose sanctions. With the violence continuing unchecked, the bloc is now under immense pressure to take action.

The EU needs to find a way to "ensure as much pressure as possible to stop the violence in Libya ... We are going to look at all of that ... in the next few days," High Representative Catherine Ashton said.

EU sanctions packages regularly include visa bans on people linked to repression and asset freezes on individuals and companies with ties to the targeted regime. The bloc can also impose arms embargoes.

EU states agreed on Wednesday to suspend the licensing of arms sales to Libya and froze talks on a planned cooperation agreement.

Ashton was talking on the margins of an informal meeting of EU defence ministers outside Budapest.

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