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EU on sanctions delays
- Subject: EU on sanctions delays
- From: cd@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 10 Oct 1996 17:55:00
The following report is on European Union dragging its heels over the Burma
Sanctions and GSP debate, with reference to recent press report of Norway's
Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland visit to Thailand and discussion of the
forced labor-slave labor European/WTO problem.
from Dawn Star (Euro-Burmanet, Paris)
<hr>
Headline: EU update on European Sanctions
Keywords: NLD ban, National League for Democracy (NLD), Aung San Suu Kyi,
human rights, political prisoners, torture, murder, execution, rape, Slorc
abuses, forced labor, forced relocation, NLD Congress 9/96,NLD arrests, NLD
crackdown 9/96,Greens, European Union, EC, Europe, WTO, World Trade
Organisation, European Council, Gro Harlem Brundtland-Norway PM,
Date: 03 Oct 1996
Source: BNN, Euro-Burmanet
Section: ebn
Rubrique: main
Greens spokeswoman Sabina Meyer in Brussells,Belgium, confirmed today that
despite continuing allegations of the use of forced labor by Burma's military
junta, no decision by the European Council of foreign ministers on barring
trade benefits under Europe's General Scheme of Preferences (GSP) to Burma is
expected before January 1997.
"They are basically delaying the decision ", she said, referring to a
meeting of the European Council of foreign ministers held earlier last week
in Luxembourg.
The allegations of forced labor heavily documented by international human
rights organsations including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch/
Asia, SAIN, and the United Nations Commission of Human Rights, has now become
an unprecedented issue before the World Trade Organisation on how to apply
let alone interpret what Ms Meyer called "the social clause" referring to
forced labor and slave labor. What she described as "the consequences of the
GSP " has obviously become a complicated, and difficult stumbling block with
wide-ranging implications for WTO's member countries, many of them condemned
for violations of human rights and internationally accepted conditions of
labor.
" It is not clear to the WTO what is not allowed according to the rules of
the GSP, " she said. "Nor is it clear what the EC will decide during internal
meetings of the European Parliament during the next ten days. The EC won't
decide until the WTO meeting scheduled for December during which it is
expected to have a clarification of " the social clauses".
Yet, according to a calender set by the Euopean Parliament, the EC has to
take a decision before next January.
" This date, January 20, 1997, has been fixed, " she said. " when the
European Council of Foreign Ministers has to take a decision or at least make
a proposal. They have to decide on it. Now its not clear what the EC will
decide.
"The Europeans are more reluctant than the US or they would have decided a
while ago ", she said. "The amount of money falling under the GSP issue
carries only some 50 million ECUs of trade which is not much. " So for now,
it appears that inspite of the sanction initiative by Norway, Denmark and the
Scandanavian countries, Ms Meyers said "Burma is more a symbol ". Meanwhile,
Germany and France prefer to side-step Burma as they negotiate economic
advantages with the seven-member ASEAN group.
Not to be dismissed, however, Norway's Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland,
during his trip this week in Bangkok, criticised Asean's policy of "
constructive engagement " with the military government in Burma citing the
lack of progress towards democracy and reconcilation.
Accordingly, a plenary session of the European Parliament to start October 21
may deliver a resolution on Burma. Among the pro-sanctions MPs, she said,
Britain's Mrs. Glenys E. Kinnock is taking a leading role, along with
Britain's James Moorhouse assisted by French Pierre Pradier and Francis
Wurtz.
Still, France and Germany remain strongly against sanctions. " For France,
Burma is clearly not a priority, " said Ms Meyers. According to her, as far
as the French Mps in the European Parliament are concerned, they consider
Burma "clearly Ango-Saxon ".
the following is an except from a recent press report re EU, WTO, and "social
clauses "
(BNN, THE NATION- Than Poopat)
.....Brundtland said she would also discuss with her Thai counterpart, Prime
Minister Banharn Slipa-archa, other international issues, including Norway's
objection to the attempt by some Western countries to link trade with labour
standards and human rights at the World Trade Organisation meeting in
Singapore in December.
Asean has already made known its intention to resist the attempt by the US
and EU raise "social clauses" at the upcoming WTO meeting.
Most developing countries suspect that the social clauses are an attempt to
block cheap imports from developing countries, where wages are much lower,
to protect industries in rich countries.
"WTO is not a major arena for environmental discussion. This is a trade
organization. We try to avoid pushing for too quick or too drastic changes
skipping the natural process that may need some more time," said Brundtland.
The Norwegian prime minister said Norway wants to contribute to finding
solutions, not confrontation, and that there will always be a basis for
dialogue and discussion on these questions outside the WTO framework.
"We don't want to have anything to do with protectionism. Our concern is in
advancement of the cause of human rights and looking forward to what is a
long-term positive development pattern," she said.
Brundtland said Norway was trying to promote and help develop an
internationally accepted norm within which members of the international
community can trade and work together smoothly - with due respect to
difference in cultures, and social and economic conditions. (TN)
re among the European Mps active on the Burma issue
Mrs. Glenys E KINNOCK, PSE, UK
Tel (44 01 495) 20 12 01/ (44 01495) 22 59 74
farc (44 01 495 20 10 30 / (44 01495) 22 59 74
James MOORHOUSE, PPE, UK
Tel (0171) 416 00 93/(0171) 416 00 94,
Fax (0171)416 00 95
Mevr. Hanja Johanna RH MAIJ-WEGGEN, PPE, Nederland (Holland)
Tel (040) 241 63 10
fax (040) 248 24 58
PRADIER PIERRE ARE European Parliament, 976113 rue Belliard,
B-1047 Bruxelles
Tel 19 32 2 284 5992
Fax 19 32 2 284 9992
WURTZ FRANCIS GUE PCF, 2 place du Col Fabien, 75020 Paris
Tel (1) 40 40 12 91
Fax (1) 42 40 40 27
Metta, thank you, peace, happiness and long life. Virtually yours,
Dawn Star (Paris) <cd@xxxxxxx>
Euro-Burmanet (Paris, France)
Burmanet / TOTAL Coordinator (France)
Free Burma Coalition
http://wicip.org/fbc/
NCGUB
815 Fifteenth Street NW
Suite 910
Washington, DC 20005
<ncgub@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB)
P.O Box 6720
ST.Olavs Plass
0130 Oslo, Norway
Tel: 47-22-200021, Tel/fax:47-22-362525
Norway NCGUB you must make e-mail address to
level one (1)maung@xxxxxxxxxxx (the PM office e-mail)
level two (2)NCGUB Europe, U Nwe Aung e-mail <101564.2652@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
US President Bill Clinton < president@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
All members of the House can be reached via the Congressional Switchboard at
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While some members have E-mail, electronic communication is not as effective
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Join the Free Burma Coalition. Call 608-256-6572 or email:
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