BRUSSELS The United States and the European Union have so far failed to reach agreement on U.S. foreign sanctions laws, only three days away from a summit meeting in London to discuss the issue, a spokesman said Friday. Unless the United States considerably modifies application of the so-called Helms-Burton and d'Amato laws, there can be no agreement, the European commission spokesman said.

The laws each bear the names of their conservative republican sponsors in Congress and allow the United States to punish foreign companies that strike deals with Cuba, Iran or Libya. EU diplomats have met twice this week to assess progress of talks between the European commission and the U.S. government. During the talks, France and Spain reiterated their standpoints that the U.S. position is not sufficiently clear and is too restrictive, particularly regarding allowances the U.S. is prepared to make for Europeans, who have violated the U.S. legislation by investing in Cuba, Iran or Libya. France is eager that dispensations should not be made case by case but rather in an overall manner.

Talks between the EU and the United States will nevertheless continue until the eve of the summit meeting scheduled to take place on Monday between U.S. President Bill Clinton, current EU President British Prime Minister Tony Blair and head of the European commission, Jacques Santer. The officials said it could not be ruled out that EU ambassadors to Brussels would meet again on Sunday. (AFP)