EDITORIAL: EU sanctions against Bur

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: EDITORIAL: EU sanctions against Burma welcome  

Editorial & Opinion 

      EDITORIAL: EU sanctions
      against Burma welcome

      The European Union has passed its verdict
      on the situation in Burma by renewing its
      1996 sanctions against the country. The EU
      foreign ministers expressed deep concern
      at the lack of a positive response from the
      State Peace and Development Council
      (SPDC) to their call for promotion of
      democracy and human rights and for
      national reconciliation. 

      The new sanctions, which will begin this
      weekend, will now include bans on transit
      visas for military authorities and entry visas
      for tourism officials. As such, armed forces
      officers and members of the SPDC cannot
      enter EU member countries to go on to
      third countries. 

      This is the first response by the West since
      the deterioration of the political situation
      inside Burma, particularly since the bridge
      standoff between the SPDC and the
      National Democracy League of Aung Sann
      Suu Kyi in July. Since then the overall
      condition has worsened with more
      intimidation and political suppression, and
      over 200 members of the opposition party
      have been arrested, though some were
      released early this week. 

      Burma's admission to Asean has become
      the biggest headache for the grouping. As
      the oldest dialogue partner of Asean, The
      EU has been very generous in providing
      assistance to Asean since it forged the
      partnership in 1977. The EU remains one
      of the most active partners despite the
      lackadaisical attitudes of some key
      dialogue partners in recent years. 

      Although the EU has widened the
      sanctions, it remains conciliatory towards
      Asean because the ongoing stalemate on
      bilateral relations is not a cause celebre. 

      Thailand, which is the coordinator for the
      Asean-EU dialogue, has been working
      painstakingly to break the deadlock since
      July last year, but neither side has budged.
      Thailand has been caught in the middle,
      trying to accommodate each side's
      requests. Asean has argued that Burma, as
      a full member, should be part of the 1980
      bilateral cooperative agreement, but the EU
      refuses to admit the pariah state on
      grounds of gross human-rights violations
      and continued political suppression. 

      In this context the latest EU position
      allowing Burma one-time participation in
      the much-delayed 13th Asean-EU Joint
      Cooperative Committee, to be held here
      later this year, is considered an act of
      goodwill. Doubtless it is also due to the
      EU's respect for Thailand's effort and
      contribution. However, when the next
      meeting comes around in the next 18
      months in an EU member country it will be a
      different ball game. Burma's participation
      will hinge on improvement in its
      human-rights record. There will be no more
      excuses. 

      The EU also wants to broaden the
      cooperative framework of the Asia-Europe
      Meeting (Asem). If overall Asean-EU ties
      continue as chilled as they are today, it will
      have far-reaching repercussions on future
      Asem cooperation. It is not worth rocking
      the boat. 

      Apart from the EU, international pressure
      will come from the UN resolution on the
      situation in Burma expected to be passed
      early next month. The draft is near
      completion and awaits input from Alvaro de
      Soto, an assistant UN secretary-general
      who is currently on a four-day visit to
      Burma. His visit came about after long
      negotiations between the SPDC leaders
      and the UN. Rangoon has rejected a
      proposed visit by UN special envoy Ismail
      Razali, a former president of the UN
      General Assembly, for a fact-finding trip on
      the treatment of Suu Kyi by the Burmese
      junta. 

      But there is one last caveat, whatever the
      EU decision entails and the UN resolution
      details: SPDC brutality and violation of
      human rights cannot be condoned. 

      The Nation