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Forum  of  Burmese  in  Europe

BE, CZ, DE, DK, FR, NL, NO, PL, UK  

Statement: The EU is softening its Common Position on Burma, despite some empty promises of the military regime  

Germany, 06.02.2006  

We, the Forum of Burmese in Europe (FBE), noted with deep concern that the European Union is trying to find a solution to the issue of participation of Burmese ministers and high-ranking military officials in the various ASEM/ARF meetings to be held in Europe in 2006 in a bid to engage the regime in human rights and democracy discussions. This issue has been addressed by the EU foreign ministers at a General Affairs and External Relations Council meeting in Brussels during a private sessions in the beginning of January 2006.  

According to the existing EU Common Position, all high-ranking Burmese government and military officials are banned from travelling to Europe, so that granting exemptions from the imposed measures is certainly in breach of the EU Common Position.   

The European Union, in its previous meetings in 2005, had set minimum standards in order for the EU to consider that the current National Convention convened by the ruling military regime in Burma, is democratic if

1. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and leaders of all political parties are released,
2. the National Convention procedures are modified and a time frame is established, and
3. the National League for Democracy and other elected representatives are allowed to participate freely in the National Convention.

The sham national convention has reconvened in Nov.-Dec. 2005 and has adjourned again for about a year, but none of the above minimum requirements have been met by the military regime.  

Again, the EU welcomed ASEAN’s initiative that an ASEAN delegation, led by Malaysian foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar, be sent to Rangoon, which was agreed and accepted by the Burmese regime representative during the ASEAN summit in Malaysia in mid-December 2005. In early January 2006, Burma’s foreign minister Nyan Win said that his government was not ready to receive the ASEAN delegation. Similarly, the visit of the Indonesian President has been indefinitely postponed.

Recently, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy had to resign because the military regime time and again refused to issue him visa. The UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights as well has been denied visa by the military regime.    

All these are, in fact some of the many empty promises of the military junta. It is quite obvious that the generals will never compromise with anybody, including the EU, UN, ASEAN, USA, etc., (forget the election winner NLD and Aung San Suu Kyi)  so long as they can consolidate their power. The most significant technique they are using is playing with the time factor. They will drag on the time as long as possible, for example, the national convention started in 1993, it is now already 13 years but not as much as 25% is completed. It would take another 5-7 years to complete the national convention (and hence the first draft of the constitution), which is the only first point of the 7-step generation roadmap of the military regime.  

But despite these empty promises of the military regime, it is hardly to believe that the EU is still reconsidering to soften its stance on Burma. The EU recent activities, such as the opening of Burmese embassy in Brussels, the opening in Rangoon of the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), the EU aid grant plan to Burma for 2007-13, the commissioning of regime apologist Robert Taylor to write an EU policy review paper, potential easing of visa ban on Burmese ministers and military officials, etc. do indicate a relaxing of the EU policy towards Burma at a time when the military dictatorship itself is being hardening its stand on human rights and democracy. The potential impact of the softening of the EU Policy would probably lead towards the legitimacy of the junta and hence marginalised the legitimacy of the NLD. It is too naïve for some people to say that the EU Common Position has not changed and will not change in the foreseeable future. The EU Common Position is in fact gradually changing in the interest of the military regime.    

The Forum of Burmese in Europe calls on the European Union and European Commission that  

1. it is totally unacceptable that the EU Common Position is softening, despite the empty promises and manoeuvring tactics of the military regime,
2. no exemptions from the visa ban will be granted for the Burmese ministers and military officials to attend the ARF and ASEM meetings in Europe, unless an accountable government is in place,
3. the EU Common Position on Burma be strengthened instead, especially sanctions on oil and gas, forest and mining products, and fisheries and garments,
4. it would commend the UN Security Council to put on its agenda to debate the atrocities and crimes against humanity committed by the military regime,
5. the representatives of the NCGUB, NCUB and democratic movement be formally invited to the Euro-Burma events, such as the Burma Forum 2006 to be held at the European Parliament in March 2006.  

For further information, please contact :  

Dr. Win Naing (London/UK)                    Nwe Aung (Germany)             Postal address  

Tel. +44 208 930 2336                                Tel. +49 2173 907335               FBE-Germany

Fax +44 208 200 6171                                Fax +49 2173 907334                Postfach 1738 

Mobile: +44 7785 568 154                         Mobile: +49 173 5905 662    D-40742 Langenfeld

Email: < naingwalay@aol.com >              Email: < NweAung@aol.com >     Germany 

The Forum of Burmese in Europe (FBE) represents a net work of Burmese people across Europe and is advocating for democracy, social justice and human rights in Burma. The FBE strongly rejects the military dictatorial rule in Burma and has been working closely  together with the democratic forces around the world.