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Bush Waives Trafficking Sanctions for Most Targeted Countries


President Bush has waived or reduced sanctions against nearly all of the 14 countries accused of being the worst offenders in human trafficking.

In June, the State Department named 14 countries facing sanctions for not making significant efforts to stop modern-day slave trade in prostitutes, child sex workers and forced laborers.

On Wednesday, President Bush waived sanctions against U.S. allies Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Ecuador, despite their failure to make significant reforms. He determined that Cambodia and Venezuela also have not made significant reforms, but he cleared them for limited assistance for such things as combating trafficking.

Mr. Bush concluded that Bolivia, Jamaica, Qatar, Sudan, Togo and the United Arab Emirates have made enough improvements to avoid sanctions.

That leaves Burma, Cuba and North Korea as the only nations to face the full sanctions barring them from receiving certain kinds of foreign aid.

Some information for this report provided by AP and Reuters.

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