7. White House bans new us investment in Burma

The US yesterday imposed economic sanctions on Burma , ban-

ning' new investments by American companies in the military-ruled

sout-east Asian country.

The move came after Washington failed to win support from Asian governments for a multilateral effort to press Burma to stop per­secuting dissidents and ethnic minorities

The sanctions allow existing agreements to remain in place. The US is the fourth largest foreign investor in Burma.

The White House has been under pressure from Congress to en­act the sanctions, which were passed last year and called for a ban on new investment if the junta stepped up its repression.

Washington's decision comes as Rangoon prepares for its ex­pected entry into the Association of South-east Nations, a regional bloc which has urged the US administration to abandon sanctions.

8. China urges end to high-tech ban

China yesterday urged the US to lift sanction on exports of US nuclear power equipment.

The removal of US sanctions on high technology products would benefit American companies barred from serving China's fastgrowing market and reduce the rising trade deficit between the two countries, say Beijing officials.

The ban on US exports of certain high-tech goods, imposed in 1989 has opened the Chinese market to rival equipment suppliers.

Washington officials have said they are considering the issue, but have signalled that they are not immediately ready to lift the ban. For US companies to sell nuclear equipment to China, the White House would have to certify a 1985 nuclear co-operation agreement designed to halt the proliferation of nuclear weapons to non-weapons countries.

9. France to sign deal with Cuba

France, one of Cuba's biggest trading partners in the EU, this week becomes the latest EU state to sign a bilateral investment protec­tion accord with the communist-ruled island.

The investment promotion and protection agreement is due to be signed in Paris on Friday by Cuba's foreign investment minister. It

' to ban - запрещать, налагать запрет

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follows a visit to Cuba this month by a French business delegation which announced a spread of investment projects in the island's sugar industry, electricity generation, food processing and other sectors.

Although the current level of French investment in Cuba is small the projects, suggested growing interest* from potential French inves­tors.

At least five other EU states, including Spain, Italy, Britain and Germany, have investment protection agreements with Cuba.

10. China relieved at America's renewal of trade privileges

China is happy over the US President's decision to renew its Most Favoured Nation (MFN) trading privileges with the United States.

The ministry of foreign affairs spokesman said the decision cre­ated "a historic opportunity for the strengthening of Sino-US relations.

The renewal of MFN has been an annual hurdle in relations for some years, and it now seems to have been removed for good.

The President announced the extension of existing US sanctions, covering military technology and a new ban on imports of Chinese-made guns and ammunition.

In 1993, China enjoyed a trade surplus of S 23 billion with the US, its most important export market, according to US figures. That would have disappeared if Chinese imports had suffered the tariffs ap­plied to non-MFN countries. The renewal of MFN was welcomed by officials and businessmen in China.