EU sanctions on Libyan ports seen lifted on Friday
European Union sanctions against six Libyan ports, several oil companies and more than a dozen other entities, could be lifted as soon as Friday, EU diplomats said, Reuters reports. The EU's 27 governments reached a preliminary agreement on Wednesday to ease the bloc's restrictions against a list of 28 entities, in a move to help Libya's interim ruling council resume normal economic activity.
Final agreement is expected on Thursday, diplomats said.
"The decision is to enter into force on Friday," said one EU diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Another said Libya's interim council had requested the lifting of sanctions against the ports, oil companies and as many as 19 other institutions. One diplomat said the list included banks and at least one airline.
The diplomats said the intention was to be able to announce the agreement on Thursday, when France hosts an international "Friends of Libya" conference to coordinate support for the political and economic rebuilding of the North African state after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
The oil firms, which a diplomat said totalled more than six, were linked to the Libyan National Oil Corp. (NOC), but did not include the NOC itself, which is subject to a U.N. blacklist.
The six Mediterranean ports under the EU embargo imposed in June are Tripoli, Al-Khoms, Brega, Ras Lanuf, Zuara and Zawiyah.
The world's biggest container shipping firm, Maersk Line, said on Tuesday it would resume its cargo service to Libya on Sept. 8 in its first shipment since February. The shipper, a unit of Danish group A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), said it would only call at the east Libyan port of Benghazi for now.
Final agreement is expected on Thursday, diplomats said.
"The decision is to enter into force on Friday," said one EU diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Another said Libya's interim council had requested the lifting of sanctions against the ports, oil companies and as many as 19 other institutions. One diplomat said the list included banks and at least one airline.
The diplomats said the intention was to be able to announce the agreement on Thursday, when France hosts an international "Friends of Libya" conference to coordinate support for the political and economic rebuilding of the North African state after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
The oil firms, which a diplomat said totalled more than six, were linked to the Libyan National Oil Corp. (NOC), but did not include the NOC itself, which is subject to a U.N. blacklist.
The six Mediterranean ports under the EU embargo imposed in June are Tripoli, Al-Khoms, Brega, Ras Lanuf, Zuara and Zawiyah.
The world's biggest container shipping firm, Maersk Line, said on Tuesday it would resume its cargo service to Libya on Sept. 8 in its first shipment since February. The shipper, a unit of Danish group A.P. Moller-Maersk (MAERSKb.CO), said it would only call at the east Libyan port of Benghazi for now.