EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION TO THAILAND

Media invitation/ Release

23 February 2012

On the occasion of the visit to Myanmar of the Delegation of the European Parliament for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), members of the media are cordially invited to attend a press conference on

Thursday 1 March 2012 from 17.00 to 18.30 hrs at Bago room, the Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon (hotel location: http://www.chatriumhotelyangon.com/location.php)

Background information

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DELEGATION TO VISIT MYANMAR

The Delegation of the European Parliament for relations with the countries of Southeast Asia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will visit Burma/Myanmar from 27 February to 2 March 2012. Eleven Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) will participate in this mission. Their programme will include meetings with President Thein Sein and other high-level representatives of the Government of Myanmar as well as Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of the opposition. They will make a field trip to an EU-funded health project near Yangon.

The parliamentary delegation will be led by its Chairman Dr Werner Langen, German Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the European People's Party (Christian Democrats). The other MEPs participating are Delegation Vice-Chairs Mr Robert Goebbels (S&D, Luxembourg) and Mr Ivo Belet (EPP, Belgium), and members Ms Barbara Lochbihler (Greens/ALE, Germany), Mr Francesco Enrico Speroni (EFD, Italy), Ms Jean Lambert G(reens/EFA, UK), Mr Wolf Klinz (ALDE, Germany), Ms Barbara Weiler (S&D, Germany), Ms Julie Girling (ECR, UK), Mr Csaba Sogor (EPP, Romania), Mr Marian-Jean Marinescu
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EUROPEAN UNION DELEGATION TO THAILAND

(EPP,

Romania).

CVs

of

all

participating

MEPs

can

be

found

at

www.europarl.europa.eu/delegations/en/dase/home.html.

The Delegation is visiting Burma/Myanmar to take stock of the remarkable political reforms that have taken place under the current government which took office in March 2011. The visit takes place in the run-up to the 1 April by-elections. During their visit, which will take place in Yangon and Nay Pyi Taw, the Delegation will have meetings with President U Thein Sein and the Ministers for Foreign Affairs; Commerce; Defence; Industry; Railways. They will also meet with the Chairmen of the Election Committee and the Human Rights Commission. Further meetings will take place with the Speakers of the Houses of Parliament; and members of political parties, including the opposition. Other interlocutors include representatives of the business community, the international community and civil society.

The European Parliament is one of the EU's most important institutions. It is elected every five years by the people of Europe. The main role of Parliament is to pass European laws on the basis of proposals presented by the European Commission. Parliament shares this responsibility with the Council of the European Union. Parliament and Council also share joint authority for approving the EUs annual budget.

Delegations of the European Parliament maintain and enhance relations of the European Parliament with parliaments around the world. They aim to contribute to promoting in third countries the values on which the European Union is founded, namely the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the rule of law.

For further information or to request one-on-one interviews please contact

(in Bangkok) Ms. Kullwadee Sumalnop kullwadee.sumalnop@eeas.europea.eu +66 (0) 2 305 2644; +66 (0) 8 1917 5602); or

(in Myanmar - from 26 February to 2 March) Ms. Isabell Poppelbaum, +95 (0) 9512 1299
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