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AFP-EU accused of condoning "pariah



EU accused of condoning "pariah" Burma with WTO action
Mon 21 Sep 98 - 10:11 GMT 

BRUSSELS, Sept 21 (AFP) - International trade union organisations on Monday
accused the the European Union of condoning Burma's "crimes against
humanity" by trying to force a US state to end its boycott of
multinationals that do business with the South East Asian state.

The European Union is expected Tuesday to begin proceedings at the World
Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva aimed at forcing the state of
Massachusetts to revoke its legislation.



German electronics giant Siemens, Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever and the
US computer giant Apple have all been denied contracts with the state
because of their activities in Burma.



The European Union, backed by Japan, argues that the stance is
discriminatory and has said it will request the opening of a WTO disputes
panel on Tuesday.



The move was denounced Monday by the International Confederation of Free
Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the European Trade Union Confederation.



"If the actions of Massachusetts, which put the human rights of the Burmese
people above the interests of a few multinational companies, do not comply
with WTO rules, then the WTO rules need changing, not the actions of
Massachusetts," said ICFTU General Secretary Bill Jordan.



The Union groups said they were astounded that the EU could take such
action at the same time as joining international condemnation of Burma's
use of forced labour and its crackdown on the democratic opposition led by
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.



"It is extraordinary that one arm of the EU can pass resolutions condemning
Burma's humnan rights record, while at the same time, another arm is
helping the Burmese general commercial ties with multinationals," Jordan
said.