EBO Burma News, 16 June 2003

News Summary:

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1. EU boosts sanctions against Myanmar

2. Japan to warn of 'review' on economic aid unless Suu Kyi is released: report

3. Southeast Asian foreign ministers pressure Myanmar on Suu Kyi's release

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EU boosts sanctions against Myanmar

BRUSSELS, June 16 (AFP) - The European Union strengthened sanctions against

Myanmar on Monday, notably extending a list of figures subject to a visa ban,

due to lack of progress by Yangon on key EU demands.

Bringing forward a move originally threatened for October, EU foreign

ministers widened the visa ban to include extended families of ministers, as

well as deputy ministers and ex-ministers and senior army staff officers.

"The idea is to penalize those who are benefitting from the regime, not

just the regime itself," said an EU official after the strengthening was

agreed at a meeting in Luxembourg.

The EU rolled over its sanctions regime -- comprising an arms embargo, a

freezing of assets and a visa ban on a list of Burmese officials -- in April,

and said it could be bolstered in October.

But the decision to bring forward the strengthening of the sanctions was

made after the arrest of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi at the end of May,

diplomats said.

The EU, which has been calling for her immediate release, expressed Monday

"its continued grave concern over the events of 30 May, 2003 and the

deteriorating overall situation."

In a statement they also called for those responsible for attacks on the

pro-democracy leader and her colleagues to be "held to account."

The EU "also decided to monitor closely the further evolution of the

situation in Burma/Myanmar, and reaffirmed its readiness to react

proportionately to future developments," they added.

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Japan to warn of 'review' on economic aid unless Suu Kyi is released: report

TOKYO, June 16 (AFP) - Japan's Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi plans to

warn Myanmar that Tokyo might "review" its economic aid unless the junta

releases pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi immediately, a report said

Monday.

Kawaguchi plans to spell out the possibility to Myanmar Foreign Minister

Win Aung when the two meet in Cambodia on Tuesday, Jiji Press news agency

said without naming sources.

Kawaguchi is to repeat Japan's demand for the immediate release of Aung San

Suu Kyi at a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Association of

Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum, a regional security grouping.

The top Japanese diplomat already issued the demand in a telephone talk

with her Myanmar counterpart on Friday, demanding Aung San Suu Kyi and other

leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD) be released immediately.

But the Myanmar foreign minister did not mention any immediate plans for

her release, according to the Japanese foreign ministry.

Japan is the biggest aid donor to Myanmar. It suspended all but a small

amount of humanitarian aid in the aftermath of a 1988 military coup and

crack-down on pro-democracy demonstrators, but the flow of funds resumed in

1994.

Japan extended about 2.14 billion yen (18 million dollars) in grants to

Myanmar in the year ended in March as well as millions of dollars in technical

assistance.

Tokyo has resisted US criticism for giving economic aid to the junta,

arguing the assistance was to help ordinary people and could promote dialogue

between the junta and Aung San Suu Kyi.

But the Japanese government takes the arrest of the democracy leader

seriously and is hesitant to commit itself to new aid, Jiji Press said.

"We cannot continue (aid) projects as if nothing had happened," it quoted a

foreign ministry official as saying.

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Southeast Asian foreign ministers pressure Myanmar on Suu Kyi's release

by Samantha Brown

PHNOM PENH, June 16 (AFP) - Southeast Asian foreign ministers pressured

Myanmar Monday for the release of its opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi as

they began two days of annual talks in the Cambodian capital.

"All of us in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) wish that Aung

San Suu Kyi will be free to be able to do what she would like to do," ASEAN

secretary-general Ong Keng Yong told reporters.

"I think that is at the bottom of our heart and in our own way we have

explained to the Myanmar foreign minister that wish. But we don't want to do

it in a confrontational manner," he said after formal talks.

In a significant move for the 10-member bloc, ministers are expected to

voice their concern over developments in Myanmar at the conclusions of the

talks, according to ASEAN secretariat spokesman M.C. Abad.

ASEAN has a long-standing policy of not commenting on the internal affairs

of members, which critics say emasculates the organisation. Discussions on the

situation in Myanmar were only scheduled after its consent, the spokesman said.

"This is the first time that ASEAN has taken a pro-active stand on Myanmar

on the record," he said. "In general, it will be a statement of concern."

A statement released Monday said only that the grouping "expressed

appreciation for the information provided by Myanmar on the latest

developments in the country".

Secretary-General Ong said the group wished to deal with the issue of

Myanmar so that it can "put the spotlight away from this issue alone because

there are other important issues for ASEAN".

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