Europeans End South Africa Oil Embargo
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LUXEMBOURG — European Community foreign ministers agreed Monday to scrap the EC oil embargo against South Africa and formally lifted sanctions on sporting and cultural contacts.
The move follows the vote by whites last month in a referendum to back President Frederik W. de Klerk’s efforts to dismantle apartheid and reach agreement on a new constitution with the majority black population.
The only remaining sanctions are embargoes on imports and exports of arms and sensitive goods for the armed forces, along with measures affecting military and nuclear cooperation.
The sanctions lifted Monday were imposed in 1985. A separate set of measures imposed a year later, which banned new investment in South Africa and imports of iron, steel and gold coins, had already been scrapped.
The bans on sporting contacts and cultural and scientific agreements had already effectively ended, but Monday’s statement formally rescinded the measures.
Also Monday, South African Foreign Minister Roelof F. (Pik) Botha said in Johannesburg that De Klerk will visit Nigeria this week.
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