Hague hopes for easing of EU sanctions on Myanmar on Monday

Britain's Foreign Secretary William Hague addresses a conference after a meeting with Rio de Janeiro State's Governor Sergio Cabral and Rio de Janeiro City's Mayor Eduardo Paes in Rio de Janeiro January 19, 2012.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he hoped EU foreign ministers would be able to agree at a meeting on Monday to an easing of sanctions on Myanmar in response to reforms by the government, including the release of political prisoners.

"I hope that we will be able to indicate the first easing of restrictive sanctions on Burma (Myanmar) where the government there has taken important measures towards the freeing of political prisoners and the holding of free elections," Hague told reporters in Brussels, where EU foreign ministers were meeting to discuss issues including Iran and Syria.

"We should recognize that in what we say and do at this meeting today," he said.

(Reporting by David Brunnstrom; editing by Luke Baker)