EU to "review" sanctions on Myanmar

Dec 14, 2007, 12:11 GMT

Brussels - European Union leaders are ready to 'review, amend or further reinforce' the bloc's sanctions against the government of Myanmar, according to draft conclusions of an EU summit underway in Brussels on Friday.

The reference to Myanmar was a last-minute addition to the draft, which also states that the EU is 'determined to assist the people of Burma/Myanmar further on their path to democracy, security and prosperity.'

In November, EU ministers agreed to impose new restrictions on the ruling junta, extending their list of Myanmar officials who are subject to a travel ban and an assets freeze.

Investment bans on Burmese state-owned enterprises were also extended to include businesses owned or controlled by the regime or by people associated with it.

And ministers also confirmed additional restrictive measures on Myanmar's logging, timber and mining sectors.

The EU recently appointed Piero Fassino, a former Italian justice minister, as its special envoy to Myanmar.

Fassino planned to visit China next week and would head to India and other Asian countries after the Christmas break.

'China is a great political power and is playing an increasingly essential role on the international scene. It can certainly have a positive influence in the Myanmar issue,' Fassino said during a visit to Brussels on Thursday.

International pressure to force political change in Myanmar, under military rule since 1962, gained momentum in the aftermath of a brutal crackdown on peaceful protests led by Buddhist monks on September 26-27.

At least 15 people died in the melee, according to official figures. The UN's special rapporteur on human rights recently claimed the death toll was at least double that.

EU officials failed to persuade Myanmar's neighbours to enforce tougher sanctions on the regime during a November summit in Singapore.