Coveney pushes Irish government to refer Burma to UN Security Council

Simon Coveney, TD, Fine Gael MEP for the South has called upon the Irish government to put its support behind moves to bring Burma/ Myanmar to the agenda of the United Nations Security Council this month.

A report commissioned by former Czech president Vaclav Havel and Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, published at the end of September, concluded that Burma should be brought to the table of the Security Council, "immediately".  

Around the same time, a United States government representative stated that the US would attempt to bring the issue to the UN Security Council agenda this month.  However, the European Union has not, thus far, agreed on a position.

In a letter to Irish Foreign Affairs Minister Dermot Ahern, Simon Coveney wrote: " Ireland has a special connection to Burma and now has an opportunity to take the lead in Europe in officially adding its support to this initiative."

The report, "Threat to the Peace - A Call for the UN Security Council to Act in Burma", which was prepared by the global law firm, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary, recommends that the Security Council should adopt a resolution on the situation in Burma, outlining the major reasons for Security Council intervention, and requiring that the Government of Burma work with the UN Secretary-General's office in "implementing a plan for national reconciliation and a restoration of a democratically-elected government".

It further requests the Secretary-General to remain "vigorously" engaged with the dispute resolution process, urges the Government of Burma to allow the UN and international humanitarian organisations unhindered access to the country and to immediately release Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the Burmese National League for Democracy party and all other prisoners of conscience.

Simon Coveney, EPP-ED Spokesman for Human Rights, has been actively engaged in the human rights situation in Burma, one of the worst in the world, for some time.  He met with researcher, Guy Horton, in July of this year to discuss Horton's report, "Dying Alive," which outlined ongoing crimes against humanity committed by the Burmese military regime, the SPDC.  Earlier this month he also held a meeting with a group of MP's from ASEAN countries who are also involved with promoting international engagement on human rights and security issues related to Burma. 

Date: Friday 21 October 2005
Further information:
Majella O Doherty 00 32 475 75 22 53 E: modoherty@europarl.eu.int
or
Or Simon Coveney, TD, MEP for the South T: 00 32 2 284 5417
www.simoncoveney.ie
Editor's Notes:
- The Fine Gael Delegation belongs to the EPP-ED which is the largest and most influential political group in the European Parliament.