EU lifts sanctions against Cuba

June 20, 2008

BRUSSELS - The European Union agreed yesterday to lift its sanctions against Cuba, including visits by high-level officials. Foreign ministers from the 27-nation bloc reached the agreement at a summit in Brussels. The measures were imposed after Cuba's crackdown on dissent in 2003 and suspended in 2005. Yesterday's action was intended to encourage more economic and political changes by President Raul Castro, officials said. (Reuters)

SARAJEVO - A European Union peacekeeping helicopter crashed in the mountains of Bosnia yesterday, killing the four soldiers aboard, two from Spain and two from Germany. The cause of the crash near the north-central city of Banja Luka was not immediately known. The Spanish aircraft issued a mayday call about a half hour after taking off while on a routine flight, officials said. (AP)

BELGRADE - Serbia's Supreme Court sentenced late strongman Slobodan Milosevic's security chief to 40 years in prison yesterday for organizing a deadly attack on a prominent dissident in 1999. Radomir Markovic was convicted of trying to kill Vuk Draskovic, an opposition leader. Draskovic survived the staged road crash and became Serbia's foreign minister, but three associates died. (AP)

RANGOON - Burma's junta detained 13 opposition party members who called for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi as she marked her 63d birthday yesterday, witnesses said. The 13 people were taken into a truck after dozens gathered at National League for Democracy's headquarters. Suu Kyi is under house arrest. (AP)