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EU to suspend Belarus sanctions for four months - diplomats


    BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union will lift on Thursday its sanctions on around 170 Belarussians, including those on authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, for four months until Feb. 29 2016, three diplomats said.

    The decision is set to be formalised at 1200 CET (11 a.m. BT) and published in the EU's Official Journal on Oct. 30, taking effect on Oct. 31.

    The decision follows Lukashenko's pardoning of six jailed political prisoners in August, as well as an absence of fresh political repression following presidential elections that returned Lukashenko to office for a fifth term.

    (Reporting by Robin Emmott; editing by Robert-Jan Bartunek)