Pretoria - The European Union has extended its sanctions on Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and senior members of his administration for another a year.
EU foreign ministers said in a statement at the end of their meeting in Brussels that the political situation in Zimbabwe has not changed enough to justify the lifting of visa restrictions and an asset freeze first imposed on Mugabe and about 200 officials of his ZANU PF party in 2002.
The restrictions remain on 163 people and 31 businesses linked to rights abuses, undermining democracy or abuse of the rule of law.
But, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, said 35 other people were removed from the sanctions list that the union has updated several times since it first imposed these measures years ago.
She did not specify the individuals whose names were removed from the sanctions list.
"Today the EU decided to remove 35 people from the visa ban and asset freeze list and to extend the validity of the remaining measures currently applying to Zimbabwe," Ashton said in the statement issued on Tuesday.
The move is likely to further strain the relations between Harare and Brussels.
The union noted the significant progress in addressing Zimbabwe's economic crisis, but expressed concerned at the reports of rising political violence. "I have to express my deep concerns at the upsurge in political violence seen in recent weeks."
Zimbabwe has in recent weeks witnessed a spate of politically motivated violence with Mugabe's ZANU PF party and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which has left a dozen people injured. ZANU-PF- affiliated mobs have apparently looted shops in Harare. Both parties are exchanging blame for the clash.
Although the EU review noted delivery of basic social services, further reforms were essential in terms of respect for rule of law, human rights and democracy to create an environment conducive to the holding of credible elections.
The sanctions include an arms embargo.
