European Voice: EU is ready to expand sanctions against Lukashenka
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9:35, — Politics
The EU is ready to increase the "black list" of Belarusian officials and companies.
The conflict in Syria, Iran's nuclear programme, and sanctions on Belarus are expected to take up much of the discussion when European Union foreign ministers meet in Luxembourg on Monday (15 October).
The agenda has yet to be finalised, but draft conclusions include – in addition to statements about Syria – preliminary support for training for the Malian military and approval of an extension of sanctions on Belarus.
At present, no conclusions are scheduled on Iran, but there is pressure from the three EU member states involved in international talks – France, Germany and the UK – for a new round of sanctions to limit Iran's capacity to develop a nuclear weapon.
Diplomats have been working for the past few weeks to identify technical restrictions in a range of areas – trade, energy, transport, and finance – that might impede Iran's nuclear programme, which it insists is for civilian purposes only.
Conclusions about Syria, which is reportedly receiving military support from Iran, are still being drafted, but will reflect increasing concern that the civil war could turn into a regional conflict, in the wake of cross-border artillery fire between Syria and Turkey, a member of NATO.
EU's shared neighbours, will also be discussed.
Sanctions against Belarus will be rolled following elections on 23 September that left the opposition with no seats in parliament, and the EU will signal its willingness to increase the number of Belarusian individuals and companies on its blacklist.
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