Brussels, 08/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - Stating on Thursday that Burma had not fulfilled the conditions for the respect of human rights which were prescribed at the Hanoi conference, the President of the Council, Bernard Bot, announced on behalf of the EU that it would reinforce sanctions relating to the military regime (see EUROPE of 14 September). Vietnam, the host country of the ASEM Summit, has also attracted criticism, but although the human rights question is omnipresent, the European and Asian leaders seem to be trying to translate it into a clear official position. Further to the appeal launched by the Vietnam Committee for the defence of human rights and over 100 MEPs (yesterday's EUROPE, p.5), the French Green Marie-Anne Isler Beguin tackled President Chirac before the summit started. In a letter, she asked him to "put the question of these persistent infringements of fundamental rights on the agenda", because, she said, borrowing the words of Commissioner Patten, "it would be cowardice not to tell our partners the truth". The Europeans had indicated that they would use the summit to raise the issue of human rights with the head of the Burmese delegation to Hanoi, the Minister for Employment, Tin Winn. On Friday, Jacques Chirac voiced his hopes that the General Affairs Council, which is to decide on sanctions against Burma on Monday, would not have to take position in favour of tightening sanctions. "I hope that it will not come to this, because the consequences of this would still be carried by the very poorest", he told the press. Among the sanctions envisaged are a ban on EU businesses from funding Burmese public companies, which could have an impact on the oil company Total. According to Reuters, a draft final declaration will call upon the Rangoon regime to open talks with NLD, but would not call for the immediate liberation of its leader, Aung San Suu Kiy. The final press release, which will be published this Saturday, will also refer to the UN reform and the importance of a multilateral approach against terrorism, separatism and weapons of mass destruction.