EU Slaps Wide-Ranging Sanctions on Libya's Gaddafi Regime

Bulgaria in EU | February 28, 2011, Monday // 16:42|  views

Catherine Ashton (R), European High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, speaks during the opening session of the 16th Human Rights Council at the European headquarters of the UN in Geneva. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The EU approved wide sanctions against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi that surpass in scope the sanctions adopted by the UN Security Council on Saturday.

Joining the UN efforts to prevent an escalation of the civil unrest in Libya, the EU has frozen the assets of Qaddafi, five members of his family and 20 associates. It has also imposed a visa ban on 21 individuals, including Qaddafi and his entourage, and an embargo on all arms, ammunition and similar equipment.

The sanctions were adopted by energy ministers meeting in Brussels today (28 February) after member states' ambassadors approved them this morning, reported The European Voice.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said the European measures, including a freeze on assets, aimed to reinforced the UN Security Council-mandated sanctions against Libya approved over the weekend.

Ashton spoke in Geneva where foreign ministers from countries with an interest in Libya - including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov - are meeting to discuss further measures such as the possibility of imposing a no-fly zone on Libya to prevent attacks from the air on rebels who control at least half of the country.

Earlier on Monday in Paris French Prime Minister Francois Fillon announced that France was sending two military planes with doctors, nurses, medicines and medical equipment to the Eastern Libyan city of Benghazi controlled by the pro-democracy movement. In his words, this will be the beginning of a massive operation of humanitarian support for the populations of liberated territories.

Meanwhile, Germany's Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has proposed cutting off all oil and other payments to Libya for 60 days to make sure that Gadhafi's regime does not get more money to hire mercenaries to repress the popular uprising.

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Tags: EU, Libya, Catherine Ashton, Muammar Gaddafi, Muammar Qaddafi, Muamar Qaddafi, civil unrest, sanctions, UN Security Council, Hillary Clinton, Sergey Lavrov, France, Francois Fillon, Guido Westerwelle

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