(Reuters) - EU ministers is considering whether to toughen sanctions on Myanmar over its treatment of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who went on trial on Monday.

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

* EU SANCTIONS:

-- The European Union adopted a Common Position on Myanmar in 1996 which contained a long-standing ban on arms sales to Myanmar and technical assistance. It prohibits the sale, supply or transfer, directly or indirectly, of equipment which might be used for internal repression.

-- EU governments tightened sanctions after a crackdown on pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist monks in Sept. 2007. The steps targeted 1,207 firms and included visa bans and asset freezes.

-- Last month the EU extended for another year a visa ban and asset freezes on the Myanmar military government and its backers. It has long called for the release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

Dhaka, May 17 (bdnews24.com)— Returning to Mynmar is the permanent solution to the problem over Rohingya refugees, the food minister said on Sunday.

"All domestic and foreign organisations will have to work with this aim," Abdur Razzak said at a meeting with Dr Stefan Frowein, ambassador of the European Commission, at his office.

They discussed current activities and disaster management for 24,000 Rohingyas living in Bangladesh.

The ambassador briefed the minister on the observations of the ambassadors of European Commission after their visit to Cox's Bazaar.

Some European NGOs are providing healthcare and skills development services with the assistance of the European Union, he said.

The minister said though problems were arising because of the refugees, Bangladesh was helping them on humanitarian grounds.

He pledged the government's support to the international organisations and NGOs working for the refugees.

bdnews24.com/mk/dg/1834h.

The Seoul Times
By Lee Jay Walker
Tokyo Correspondent

Aung San Suu Kyi

Other Christian and Muslim minorities also face daily persecution. Therefore, like I reported in my last article called

Google.Com
WASHINGTON (AFP) — President Barack Obama on Friday formally extended US sanctions against Myanmar, keeping up pressure on the junta at the height of its new showdown with detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency with respect to Burma and maintain in force the sanctions against Burma to respond to this threat," Obama said in a message to Congress.

The move, which had been previewed last month by US officials and was merely a formality, comes despite an official US review of policy on Myanmar, also known as Burma.