EU bans Belarus president

2006-04-10 16:14

Luxembourg - The European Union placed a visa ban on Belarus president Viktor Lukashenko and 30 of his senior officials on Monday.

The ban is in protest at his re-election last month after voting international observers said was rigged, and for cracking down on the opposition and its supporters.

European diplomats said the ban was imposed at a meeting of EU foreign ministers without debate.

They said further steps, such as a freezing of assets of the Belarusian leadership in the EU, remains possible.

Lukashenko is banned from travelling to any of the 25 EU states on the grounds he is "responsible for the violations of international electoral standards and international human rights law, as well as for the crackdown on civil society and democratic opposition".

Slovenian foreign minister Dimitrij Rupel, said the move "sends a strong message" that the EU is targeting the Belarus leadership, not its people.

The ban is the first time the EU has prohibited the head of state of a neighbouring nation from visiting the union.

It has taken the same steps against the leaders of Zimbabwe and Myanmar.

Lukashenko won 83% of the vote and a third consecutive term in the country's last month's elections.

- AP