EU to lift sanctions against Burma permanently - Telegraph

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EU to lift sanctions against Burma permanently

Sanctions against Burma will be lifted permanently by European Union foreign ministers on Monday despite reluctance to support the changes from the countrys opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
EU diplomats have failed to persuade Miss Suu Kyi to support the permanent removal of the trade and investment measures Photo: EPA

By Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent

5:40PM BST 19 Apr 2013

Britain is backing what is expected to be a unanimous decision to remove the sanctions on trade and investment imposed on the countrys military regime after it annulled the 1990 election, which Miss Suu Kyi won. Diplomats admitted that Miss Suu Kyi, who spent 15 years under house arrest, had not wanted the EU to remove the trade and investment measures permanently. However, they said she agreed to acquiesce in order to preserve the more important ban on arms sales. Lobbying by British officials managed to fend off a German attempt to end the military embargo on top of the removal of the other sanctions. William Hague, the Foreign Secretary, said: I discussed the situation in Burma over the phone last week with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and agreed with her that now is the time for the EUs relationship to move beyond sanctions, with the exception of the arms embargo. The sanctions were lifted temporarily last year, when EU leaders stressed that they could still be reimposed at any time. That threat was described as a potent tool to ensure the military-backed government of President Thein Sein would continue democratic reforms that have allowed Miss Suu Kyis National League for Democracy to enter parliament. At the time, David Cameron stressed the importance of merely suspending the measures, as opposed to removing them altogether. Those changes are not yet irreversible, which is why it is right to suspend rather than lift sanctions for good, the Prime Minister said. As Aung San Suu Kyi herself has said, suspending sanctions will go some way in strengthening the hand of the reformers in Burma.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/burmamyanmar/10006542/EU-to-lift-sanctions-against-... 21-Apr-13

EU to lift sanctions against Burma permanently - Telegraph

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Miss Suu Kyi spoke out in support of the decision last April, but underlined the dangers posed by regime hardliners. This suspension will have taken place because of the steps taken by the president and other reformers, she said. It would also make it quite clear to those who are against reform that should they try to obstruct the way of the reformers, then sanctions could come back. Mark Farmer, the director of the Burma UK Campaign, accused the EU of ignoring a set of benchmarks laid out for permanent removal of sanctions. These called for an end to all internal conflicts, freedom for all political prisoners, unfettered humanitarian access to the country and an end to persecution of a Muslim minority. None of these has been met, he said. They are ignoring their own conditions and proceeding with lifting the sanctions without any clause that would allow reimposition. The sanctions targeted more than 800 companies and nearly 500 people, and also included a block on some development aid. European officials said Burmas regime had successfully served out a probation period, having released hundreds of political prisoners, reduced restrictions on media and other democratic activities, as well as seeking ceasefires. We have now seen that we can be relatively reassured on the authorities commitment to pursue the path toward democracy, a diplomat said.

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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/burmamyanmar/10006542/EU-to-lift-sanctions-against-... 21-Apr-13