MOSCOW, July 12. /TASS/. Canadian government has taken a decision to lift economic sanctions against Belarus that it introduced in December 2006, says a resolution published in the Canada Gazette official newsletter.

The resolution says the Canadian government responded to recent encouraging changes in Belarus and made public its decision to exempt Belarus from the so-called Area Control List. The latter is a list of countries to which the Governor-in-Council finds it necessary to control the export or transfer of any goods and technology.

Canada imposed sanctions on Belarus after the 2006 presidential election in the former Soviet republic.

The document says the government's decision testifies to the recognition of progress Belarus has made on key issues related to human rights and its fruitful role in the facilitations of ceasefire and imposition of peace in Ukraine.

By the time of reporting, the Canadian Foreign Ministry had not responded a TASS request to comment on the decision.