China has criticised sanctions imposed by the US on a Chinese firm for selling refined petroleum products to Iran.

Despite his anti-Communism, he now opposes sanctions on Cuba and criticized proposed sanctions on North Korea.

A 1996 report by International Progress Organization criticized sanctions as "an illegitimate form of collective punishment of the weakest and poorest members of society, the infants, the children, the chronically ill, and the elderly."

Mr. de la Madrid also criticized American trade and economic sanctions against Panama that are aimed at forcing the ouster of that country's military leader, Gen. Manuel Antonio Noriega.

American officials have criticized economic sanctions that Israel imposed after the bombing, especially a suspension of tax and customs payments to the Palestinian Authority.

But African nations have been less willing to criticize, much less impose sanctions on, Zimbabwe.

France criticized American sanctions against India.

Mrs. Suzman also upset some in the anti-apartheid movement by criticizing economic sanctions, which she feels hurt black South Africans by depriving them of jobs and economic clout.

The continually criticised penalties and sanctions at the end of a long process therefore make sense, as the financial markets no longer have their previous powers.

John Paul criticized American sanctions against Poland imposed after the establishment of a martial law regime there in 1981.