SANCTIONS FOR NIGERIA?

Following the hangings earlier this month of nine Nigerian dissidents, Sweden and Germany called an European Union meeting of experts in Brussels Tuesday to discuss imposing an oil embargo on Africa's most populous country. "I don't think the EU will impose sanctions on the oil," reports Brussels bureau chief Jay Branegan. "While they are interested in sending a strong signal to the Nigerian military leadership, I don't think they have the stomach for an embargo. They also don't want to hurt the people of Nigeria. Oil is not only the main source of income for the generals, but also for much of the population. If an embargo is implemented, the generals will just find another place to sell. Finally, Shell Oil, which operates extensively in Nigeria, is owned by the Dutch and the British, so it is unlikely that they will be enthusiastic about sanctions." On November 20, the EU rejected earlier calls by Sweden and Germany for oil sanctions, instead limiting itself to a ban on arms sales, stopping development aid and imposing tighter visa restrictions for Nigerian government officials.