EU puts sanctions on Belarus

BRUSSELS: EU leaders broke a diplomatic deadlock and imposed sanctions on Belarus yesterday, after hours of summit talks.

The deal on sanctions against about 40 officials accused of rigging August’s presidential election means the EU can make good on a promise to support prodemocracy protesters in Minsk and regain some credibility after weeks of delays.

‘‘The European Union is taking action against those who stand in the way of democracy,’’ German Chancellor Angela Merkel said after fraught discussions among the 27 EU member states that dragged past midnight Thursday.

Britain and Canada have imposed sanctions on Minsk and diplomats say the impasse in the EU, where decisions are taken by unanimity, has dented the credibility of the bloc’s foreign policy.

Cyprus, one of the EU’s smallest countries, had blocked the action against Belarus for a month, insisting that sanctions also be imposed on Turkey for oil and gas exploration along Cyprus’ coast.

The compromise that satisfied Cyprus was an agreement to review Turkey’s behaviour in December and impose sanctions then if its ‘‘provocations’’ have not stopped.

‘‘It was the most that Merkel would bear,’’ said an EU diplomat after the talks.

‘‘She felt the union should give Turkey a chance for another few weeks. But Turkey has been put on notice and the ball is in its court.’’