§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government will take with regard to the recent Burmese military offensive against the Karen people.
§ Mr. GoodladTogether with our European Union partners, we intend to express our concern directly to the ruling military regime in Burma about the recent attacks on the headquarters of the Karen ethnic group. We will be pressing for clarification of their commitment to national reconciliation and democratic reform.
§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures Her Majesty's Government have taken to promote bilateral trade with Burma; and what account is being taken of the Burmese Government's human rights violations.
§ Mr. GoodladWe try to ensure that British firms are aware of trade opportunities in Burma not covered by the EU arms embargo, but we offer no financial support to them.
We remain acutely concerned about the continued abuse of human rights in Burma. We and our European Union partners have made it clear to the ruling military regime that normalisation of our relations depends on progress in key areas, including human rights.