WASHINGTON (CMC):
The Antigua and Barbuda ambassador to the United States, Sir Ronald Sanders, Friday said that his Caribbean island is instituting measures to ensure it implements international sanctions against named Russian persons and entities.
Foreign Affairs Minister E Paul Chet Greene has since instructed that the complete existing list of US-sanctioned Russian persons and companies is to be respected and followed and Sir Ronald said that he has made a formal request to the US State Department for the most up-to-date list.
The United States and Europe are leading the sanctions campaign against Russia after President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of people and more than a million having already fled the East European country.
“It is important to appreciate that not all Russian persons and entities have been placed on a sanctions list. These lawful persons and entities continue to be entitled to benefit from services provided by Antigua and Barbuda and other countries,” Sir Ronald said.
“In this regard, the relevant agencies in Antigua and Barbuda will be required to follow the international sanctions lists,” the diplomat added.
Earlier this week, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) chairman and Belize Prime Minister John Briceno, said that regional leaders at their inter-sessional summit in Belize left the possible imposition of sanctions on Russia to individual member states.
“We discussed the issue of Russia at length,” he said, adding “CARICOM felt that that is something we should do as individual countries.
“We have to decide what kind of sanctions, if any, we can take as countries and not as CARICOM.”