European Union foreign ministers have renewed sanctions against Burma's military rulers for another year.
Under the sanctions, members of the ruling military junta and their families are barred from entering the EU. The measures also ban EU companies and organizations from doing business in Burma.
The 25-member bloc initially imposed the sanctions in 1996 after Rangoon failed to meet EU demands for democratic reforms. The EU also wants pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to be released from house arrest.
Burma's military rulers are coming under increasing pressure to implement democratic reforms. There are calls to deny Burma its scheduled chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2006.
Some information for this report provided by AFP.