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Austria to act together with EU on problem of anti-Russian sanctions, says president

Austria abides by the EU line as regards the problem of sanctions, according to Alexander Van der Bellen

VIENNA, June 5. /TASS/. Austria will abide by a common position with the rest of the EU as regards the anti-Russian sanctions, the country’s President, Alexander Van der Bellen said on Tuesday at a news conference, which he addressed together with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He recalled that Austria would take up the EU’s rotating presidency in a month’s time.

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"We’re living in the times of tensions and Austria has taken the obligation to make a contribution to detente," Van der Bellen said. "Still I should say Austria abides by the EU line as regards the problem of sanctions."

In 2014, the EU imposed sanctions on relations with Russia following the coup d’etat in Ukraine, which received support from Brussels, and Crimea’s reunification with Russia. It has subsequently prolonged and expanded sanctions on a number of occasions.

The EU suspended the talks on visa-free traveling and on a new basic agreement on cooperation. It also banned entry of the EU countries for a number of Russian officials and froze their assets, as well as introduced restrictive measures in finance and defense.

All in all, the EU’s anti-Russian blacklists include 151 individuals and 37 legal entities. Sectoral sanctions embrace twenty Russian financial, oil producing and defense companies.

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