Brussels, 10/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - The European Union is preparing to extend the two types of sanction imposed on Zimbabwe since 2002 by one year. With insufficient progress having been made by Zimbabwe in implementing the comprehensive political agreement concluded in September, member states' ambassadors to the EU (COREPER) gave their approval, on Wednesday 10 February, to the extension until 20 February 2011 of appropriate measures restricting development cooperation with that country (under the terms of Article 96 of the Cotonou Agreement), and of targeted sanctions imposed under the CFSP on a group of people and companies close to Robert Mugabe and on Mugabe himself (freezing of assets, visa restrictions) duly listed. Only a small number of people have been withdrawn from the list. The formal decision will be taken, without debate, on 16 February on the sidelines of the Ecofin Council. (A.N./transl.rt)