Brussels, 14/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Monday, the Council decided to extend for twelve months the sanctions imposed on the Burmese junta since 1996. It also decided to strengthen these sanctions if no improvement is noted in favour of the national reconciliation process and the human rights situation. In this case, these measures - which consist in extending the list of members of the military junta subject to the visa ban, the freeze on their assets, and in strengthening the arms embargo - will be set in place on 29 October 2003 at the latest. In its conclusions, adopted on Monday without debate, the Council points out that the EU will send a delegation of the Troika to Burma to "explain" to the country's authorities that, if there is no improvement, these new sanctions will be set in place and that it may possibly decide other economic measures. However, the delegation will not go to Burma unless it can meet the relevant leaders.