EU Will Exclude Gas Tech from Russia Sanctions

European Council leader Herman van Rompuy has written to EU leaders saying any restrictions the bloc agrees on Russian access to sensitive technology should only include the oil sector, and exclude gas, EU sources said.

The letter also asks EU heads of state to delegate responsibility for deciding on sanctions to ambassadors, avoiding the need for an emergency summit.

"The measures in the field of sensitive technologies will only affect the oil sector in view of the need to preserve EU energy security," one of two EU sources quoted the letter as saying.

(Reporting by Barbara Lewis; editing by Adrian Croft)