President George W. Bush recently warned the United States would spearhead a global campaign to step up sanctions against Myanmar's military regime if it continues to ignore calls for a democratic transition.

In announcing the latest US sanctions on Tuesday, the Treasury Department said it was targeting the financial network of 'Burmese business tycoon and regime henchman' Tay Za, identified as an arms dealer with "close ties" to Myanmar's military.

Also affected are family members of regime leaders and key additional individuals and businesses that are part of Tay Za's financial network, the department said in a statement.

'We are tightening financial sanctions against Tay Za, an arms dealer and financial henchman of Burma's repressive junta,' said Adam Szubin, director of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), referring to the country's previous name.

President Bush 'has made clear that we will continue to take action against the military junta and those who prop it up so long as human rights violations continue and democracy is suppressed,' Mr Szubin said.

In mid-October, the Treasury added 11 more military leaders - including 10 government ministers - to an existing list of 14 whose US assets have been frozen, including military chief Senior General Than Shwe.

Just four weeks earlier the Bush administration had stepped up sanctions on Myanmar's military leaders after a bloody crackdown on anti-government protests led by Buddhist monks across the country in September.

Military projects
The Treasury said on Tuesday that the new action targets Tay Za's Htoo Group of Companies, which carries out key projects on behalf of Myanmar's military, including the purchase of military equipment and aircraft for the its military.

Among the individuals named Tuesday is Aung Thet Mann, a director of Tay Za's Htoo Group of Companies.

Aung Thet Mann is the son of General Thura Shwe Mann, a senior official in the government and a member of the State Peace and Development Council, the Treasury said.

'Tay Za has used his business relationship with Aung Thet Mann to win favourable business contracts from the Burmese junta,' the department said.

OFAC also designated Thiha, Tay Za's brother and business partner, and U Kyaw Thein, a director of Tay Za's business ventures in Singapore.

The companies designated include Myanmar Avia Export Company Ltd, Ayer Shwe Wah Company Limited and Pavo Aircraft Leasing Pte Ltd in Singapore.

Spouses
Four spouses of senior government officials have also been named: Khin Lay Thet, the wife of General Thura Shwe Mann; Myint Myint Ko, the wife of Construction Minister Saw Tun; Tin Lin Myint, the wife of Lieutenant-General Ye Myint; and Myint Myint Soe, the wife of Foreign Affairs Minister Nyan Win.

The department's designation action against the individuals and firms freezes any assets they may have under US jurisdiction and bars Americans from conducting business with them at the risk of heavy fines and prison sentences.

The United States has called for the military rulers to release all political prisoners, including democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

The military regime, which has ruled Myanmar since 1962, has not recognized the result of 1990 elections in which Aung San Suu Kyi led the National League for Democracy to a landslide victory. -- AFP