Even as the notion of sweeping sanctions was being discounted, however, the administration also came under pressure on Thursday to move quickly toward such penalties.

But Washington would impose sweeping sanctions if China conceals past activities and the United States later documents that Pakistan had received missiles.

The United Nations imposed sweeping economic sanctions on Serbia in May 1992 for giving military aid to the Serbs in Bosnia.

The Security Council imposed sweeping sanctions against the country that would remain in effect until Iraq had fully disarmed, as verified by inspectors.

The Senate on Sept. 9 passed a bill that would impose even more sweeping sanctions than those contained in the House bill.

Passage of the legislation reduces the likelihood that a multibillion-dollar tax dispute between the United States and Europe will result in sweeping sanctions anytime soon.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee, voting along party lines, approved a bill today that would impose sweeping sanctions against South Africa to protest apartheid.

In their public statements, the 19 states that have joined the Federal Government's suit against Microsoft have been particularly intent on seeking sweeping sanctions.

The United Nations imposed sweeping economic sanctions against Iraq after its invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

Pakistan, like India, faced even more sweeping sanctions on trade and food assistance last year after detonating nuclear weapons in May 1998.