§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent changes there have been to the EU Common Position on Burma. [10371]
§ Mr. BradshawChanges in Burma in the past nine months give grounds for cautious optimism, but the rapprochement between the regime and the domestic opposition remains fragile and reversible. Until Burma is firmly embarked on a return to constitutional, democratic rule it would not be appropriate to suspend or remove the core elements of the EU Common Position. The General Affairs Council of 8 October therefore decided to renew the Common Position for a further six months. The core elements of the Common Position are to remain unchanged, with the addition of required legal clarification that enables EU member states to fulfil their UN obligations by allowing Burmese Ministers to attend UN conferences in the EU.
However, in recognition of the progress achieved to date and in expectation of further positive developments, the EU Council Conclusions on 8 October set out a modest first package of positive measures. We stand ready to consider what further measures might be appropriate if change in Burma accelerates significantly. Conversely, if progress were to stall or fail, UK/EU policy would need to be tightened again.