EU Declaration on Burma
[EN] - 18 February 2003
Brussels, 18 February 2003
6474/03
(Presse 47)
P
20/03
Declaration by the Presidency on behalf of
the European Union concerning restrictions on Aung San Suu Kyi's freedom to
travel and the continuing politically inspired detentions and
arrests in Burma
The EU notes with serious concern that reports of restrictions on
freedom of expression and political arrests and detentions in Burma/Myanmar
have increased since the Presidency Declaration of 11 October 2002. The EU calls on the Burma/Myanmar authorities to respect their
promises to release all political prisoners and to immediately hold a
substantial dialogue with the national league for democracy, as well as with
the other political groups, with a view to proceeding to the democratic transition
of the country.
Of particular concern is the growing pattern of harassment and attempted
intimidation of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi by the Burma/Myanmar authorities,
supported by the Union Solidarity Development Association (USDA), as
demonstrated recently in Rakhine State. In this
context, the EU notes with concern the recent political arrests in the country,
in particular the arrest of the Secretary General of the Shan Nationalities'
League for Democracy and a number of NLD members. The EU believes such actions
are aimed at dissuading supporters of the National League for Democracy and the
Burmese Democratic Movement from having contact with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
while, at the same time, do not facilitate the progress towards democracy
announced by the Burma/Myanmar authorities.
The EU reaffirms its commitment and support for political change in
Burma/Myanmar in pursuit of national reconciliation, respect for human rights
and democracy. The EU welcomes the current visit to Rangoon by an
Amnesty International delegation and hopes this will lead to a greater
understanding of and respect for human rights. At the same time the EU also
reiterates its call on Senior General Than Shwe to
enter urgently into a genuine and substantive dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi and the National League for Democracy, the other political groups in the
country and representatives of the ethnic nationalities. The EU also calls upon
the Burma/Myanmar authorities to institute a programme of economic reforms with
the aim of adequately addressing the economic and humanitarian needs of the
people of Burma/Myanmar and to take further steps to effectively tackle the
spread of HIV/AIDS. The EU will take the situation in Burma/Myanmar into close
account in considering renewal of the European Union Common Position in April
2003.
The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European
Union, the associated countries Cyprus, Malta and Turkey, and
the EFTA countries, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves
with this declaration.
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