For Democracy & Human Rights

EU Foreign Ministers on Burma/Myanmar

Oct 11 (Press releases) - The EU Foreign Ministers looked back at a successful ASEM Summit in Hanoi and appreciated the warm welcome that Vietnam gave them.

The Summit has strengthened the relationship between the EU and the Asian partners. Economic and trade affairs, regional issues and the fight against terrorism were discussed. A commitment was made to improve cooperation in these fields. A decision on ASEM enlargement was taken to include the ten new EU member states and Laos, Cambodia and Burma/Myanmar.

In Hanoi, the ministers spoke about the situation in Burma/Myanmar in an open and frank atmosphere in the presence of the Burmese minister. The lack of progress in democratic reform in Burma/Myanmar was emphasized and improvements in the human rights situation in this country were strongly called for.

Burma/Myanmar has not fulfilled the conditions set at the GAERC on 13 September 2004: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is still detained, National League for Democracy continues to face harassment and the National Convention has still not allowed for genuine open debate.

As a result, the Council adopted today the necessary instruments, mentioned in the Council Conclusions of 13 September, that will allow for the strengthening of sanctions, including an expansion of the visa ban, a prohibition to make financial loans or credits available to listed Burmese state-owned enterprises, as well as to acquire or extend a participation in these enterprises.

The EU ministers also agreed to vote against extending loans by international organizations to Burma/Myanmar and the European Commission will produce specific proposals to address the issue of illegal logging, decreasing the export of teak from Burma/Myanmar.

The EU Foreign Ministers also reconfirmed the expansion of assistance to the people of Burma/Myanmar in various fields, namely on health and education.

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