HC Deb 13 January 1993 vol 216 cc756-7W
Mr. Elletson

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress there has been in the development of relations between the European Community and the ASEAN countries.

Mr. Goodlad

Considerable progress has been made in strengthening relations during the United Kingdom presidency. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has personally attended two ministerial meetings with ASEAN in Manila. The outcome of the EC-ASEAN ministerial meeting in October will boost co-operation in a range of fields, including trade, environmental protection, technical co-operation and human rights.

Burma

38. Mr. Home Robertson

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to seek a meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi to discuss human rights in Burma; and what recent representations he has made to the Burmese Government about her detention.

Mr. Goodlad

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no current plans to visit Burma. He has raised Aung San Suu Kyi's detention with the Burmese ambassador on 14 September 1992. We continue to be concerned at the lack of progress towards her release and about human rights generally in Burma.

Together with our EC partners, we co-sponsored the resolution adopted at the United Nations General Assembly last month which condemned Burma's human rights performance and specifically called for Aung San Suu Kyi's unconditional release.