German Cars Excluded From Crimea Sanctions List

German cars will not be included in sanctions on European investment in Crimea, the government in Berlin has revealed.



Friday's confirmation from a spokeswomen for the German foreign minister, Sawsan Chebli, came after the EU imposed more sanctions on European investment in Crimea this week.



The peninsula was annexed from Ukraine by Russia in a widely unrecognized referendum earlier this year.



"The cars are not on the list of ban on exports for Crimea," Chebli said, adding that sanctions on European investment in Crimea would not include signed agreements so far.



Chebli said the sanctions were not intended to weaken the Russian economy "but to effectuate a change in relations."



The EU imposed further sanctions on European investment in Crimea on Thursday in an attempt to prevent Russia from using the territory to exploit Black Sea oil, according to officials.



European companies will be prohibited from exporting goods and technology that could be used by Crimean companies to explore and produce oil, gas and mineral resources.



Investment in both Crimea and Sevastopol will be outlawed from Dec. 20 and EU companies will no longer be able to buy real estate or finance companies in Crimea, the European Council said in a statement on Thursday.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Berlin