EU sanctions against Belarus date back to 1999, and the travel ban was suspended last year. BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union foreign ministers have extended sanctions for another year against Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko and his government.

The ministers say they decided to extend an assets freeze on Tuesday "due to the absence of tangible progress" by Lukashenko's government to introduce democratic and human rights reforms.

But the ministers kept in place a temporary suspension of the other sanction — a travel ban on senior Belarusian officials — as a way to encourage reforms.

EU sanctions against Belarus date back to 1999, and the travel ban was suspended last year.

The 27-nation EU has made closer ties conditional on Belarus authorities pushing through more reforms, including a moratorium on the death penalty.