EU looks at urgent response to Myanmar crackdown

By David Brunnstrom

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union said on Thursday it was urgently looking into a response, including the possibility of reinforced sanctions, to the military crackdown on protests in Myanmar.

EU ambassadors had instructed experts to "swiftly examine options", including "targeted, reinforced sanctions" and diplomatic representations to key regional players, a statement from the Portuguese EU presidency said.

The generals who have ruled Myanmar for the past two decades have sent in troops to break up the country's biggest anti-government demonstrations in nearly 20 years, despite international calls for restraint. The army told protesters on Thursday they had 10 minutes to go home or be shot.

The European Parliament condemned the crackdown and called for tougher sanctions if the ruling junta fails to heed calls for democracy.

A parliamentary resolution adopted virtually unanimously applauded the courage of monks and tens of thousands of other peaceful demonstrators "in confronting the anti-democratic and repressive regime".

It reiterated a call for the release of Nobel Peace Prize-winning opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners and urged the U.N. Security Council to address the Myanmar issue urgently.

The resolution called on the European Union to liaise with the United States, the Association of South East Asian Nations and other states to coordinate additional measures, including targeted economic sanctions, if the military resorted to violence and did not respond to calls for democracy.

It essentially represents a recommendation to the EU executive and the council of member states which they are obliged to address.