EU sanctions and Burma

On Tuesday 23 April 2013 at Foreign and Commonwealth Questions, Valerie asked the Secretary of State about the lifting of EU sanctions on Burma.

Valerie asked:

“Human rights organisations were alarmed when sanctions against Burma were lifted. Could the Foreign Secretary use this as a lever to ensure that the United Nations can establish its human rights office in Burma, and to ensure that Burma releases all political prisoners, including Aung Naing?”

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office replied:

“It is worth pointing out to the hon. Lady that, yes, we agree with what she says, but human rights will be at the heart of the lifting of sanctions in Burma. We did it with the advice of Aung San Suu Kyi, because we believe that engagement with the Burmese Government is the way forward. We are deeply concerned about human rights and we remain deeply concerned about ethnic conflict, but we believe that now is the appropriate time to lift sanctions.”

For the link to Hansard click here: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm130423/debtext/130423-0001.htm#13042358000420

The Human Rights Watch Report on Burma, All You Can Do is Pray, can be found here: http://www.hrw.org/reports/2013/04/22/all-you-can-do-pray-0