Sanctions on Myanmar

Monday, February 7 (Reuters)

- The party of Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has recommended sanctions on the country remain in place, a move that will be a blow to the military regime and Western companies keen to invest in the country.

The National League for Democracy (NLD), Myanmar's biggest opposition force, said trade and travel embargoes had little impact on the broader population and recommended their continued use as a means to isolate the generals who are set to control a new civilian executive and legislature.

Here is an overview of existing sanctions on the former Burma and its rulers:

EU SANCTIONS:
-- The European Union adopted a Common Position on Myanmar in 1996, including a ban on the sale or transfer from the EU of arms or weapons expertise to Myanmar, or of any equipment that might be used for internal repression.
-- EU governments tightened sanctions after a crackdown on pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist monks in September 2007, targeting 1,207 firms with measures including visa bans and asset freezes.
In April 2009 the EU extended for another year a visa ban and asset freezes on members of the Myanmar military government and its backers. It has long called for the release of the estimated 2,100 political prisoners in Myanmar.
-- France said on August 11 there should be a global embargo on arms sales to Myanmar and economic sanctions focussed on its key exports, timber and rubies. Britain called for the U.N. Security Council to impose a global arms embargo.
-- The EU has added members of the judiciary responsible for Suu Kyi's extension of house arrest in 2009 to its list of military officials subject to asset freezes and bans on travel to the European Union.

U.S. SANCTIONS:
-- The United States first imposed broad sanctions in 1988 after the junta's crackdown on student-led protests. It banned new investment in Myanmar by U.S. persons or entities in 1997.
-- Washington has gradually tightened sanctions to try to force Myanmar's generals into political rapprochement with Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, which won a landslide election victory in 1990 but was kept out of power by the junta.
-- President Barack Obama renewed the U.S. sanctions in May last year. Washington has said sanctions will be reassessed if the new government being formed shows substantive efforts to improve the country's poor human rights record.
-- In July 2008, the Treasury moved to block the assets and transactions of Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings Ltd and the Myanmar Economic Corp and their subsidiaries.
-- The moves banned American individuals and businesses from transactions with the firms and froze any assets they had under U.S. jurisdiction.
-- The Burma Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003 banned all imports from Myanmar, restricted financial transactions, froze the assets of certain Myanmar financial institutions and extended visa restrictions on junta officials.

OTHER SANCTIONS:
AUSTRALIA -- Has maintained visa restrictions on senior junta figures and a ban on defence exports since 1988. It announced financial sanctions in October 2007 against Myanmar's ruling generals and their families -- over 400 individuals in all.
CANADA -- Imposed sanctions in November 2007 banning exports to Myanmar, except for humanitarian goods, and barring imports. It froze the Canadian assets of Myanmar citizens connected with the junta. Canada also prohibited the provision of financial services and the export of technical data to Myanmar, and banned new investment by Canadians.
NEW ZEALAND -- Has a long-standing ban on visas for military leaders and their families.
JAPAN -- Japan cut aid to Myanmar in October 2007.
ASIA -- Most Asian governments have favoured a policy of engagement towards Myanmar and southeast Asian countries have called for Western sanctions to be lifted. (Compiled by David Cutler; London Editorial Reference Unit)