UK's Brown calls for tougher sanctions on Myanmar

LONDON, Sep 25 (Reuters) British Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged the European Union today to take a tougher stance on Myanmar, saying sanctions against the military-led government should be tightened.

In a letter to EU heads of state, Brown called for an immediate agreement to ''warn the Burmese government that we are watching their behaviour and that the EU will impose tougher sanctions if they make the wrong choices''.

Riot police moved onto the streets of Yangon, the main city of the former Burma, today after a second day of mass protests against Myanmar's military junta ended without incident. Tens of thousands of monks have led the peaceful demonstrations for democracy.

''The unfolding human tragedy in Burma requires immediate international action,'' Brown wrote.

He also wrote to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon saying: ''We need concerted international action to discourage violence. We need to stand together'', and encouraged the UN special envoy to hold talks on the crisis as soon as possible.

The demonstrations in Yangon recall events of two decades ago, when the military government cracked down on protesters, leaving an estimated 3,000 people dead.

Reuters JK RN1757