France will urge its European Union partners to relax sanctions against Burma after elections won by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi’s opposition party. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe says “we have to make a gesture” to support historic reforms in Burma. He said on Thursday that France is ready “to propose to our partners in Brussels … an initial lightening of sanctions.” The EU has in place an arms embargo and a ban on the sale of goods linked to internal repression, and has also suspended certain development aid programs.—AP