§ Mr. Russell BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will advocate a strengthening of the EU Common Position on Burma at the forthcoming review. [164199]
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§ Mr. Mike O'BrienPrime Minister Khin Nyunt of Burma's State Peace and Development Council announced a "roadmap to national reconciliation" on 30 August 2003. The first step of the roadmap is to reconvene the National Convention to agree a new constitution, as outlined by Foreign Minister Win Aung at the Bangkok Process meeting in December. In light of that, we believe that it would send a wrong signal to strengthen sanctions under the EU's Common Position on Burma at a time when the regime may be moving forward with the political process. We are therefore prepared to support a rollover of existing measures in the EU Common Position on Burma which already contains tough measures against the regime. However, we remain ready to respond proportionately to positive or negative progress in Burma.