EU implements sanctions on Myanmar junta and firms

By Ingrid Melander

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union adopted sanctions on Monday against 1,207 firms in Myanmar and expanded visa bans and asset freezes on the country's military rulers in response to their bloody crackdown on protests.

The move implements sanctions agreed in principle by ministers last month after the junta crushed the biggest pro-democracy protests in nearly 20 years in September. The junta acknowledges killing at least 15 people in the monk-led protests, but Western diplomats say the figure was much higher.

The sanctions target the country's key timber, metals and gemstone sectors. They include an investment ban on companies controlled by the regime or by people linked to the regime.

EU foreign ministers also prohibited exports on equipment to sectors involving timber, metals, minerals, semi-precious and precious stones, as well as imports from these sectors.

"The EU remains concerned by the situation in Burma/Myanmar and reiterated its call on the government to take substantive steps to address the concerns of its people and the international community," ministers said in a statement.

The EU has stressed that its trade -- and therefore economic leverage -- with Myanmar is limited, though it has so far steered clear of Myanmar's energy sector, in which French oil giant Total is a big investor.

Ministers nevertheless stressed the 27-nation bloc could take further sanctions and had tasked experts to work on that.

"We continue to look for ways to put pressure on the Burmese regime in such a way that if it doesn't respond...the EU and the international community should be prepared to take further steps," British Europe minister Jim Murphy told reporters.