§ Mr. LeighTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government has in the near future to call for a European Union demarche to the Burmese regime regarding the Burmese military's atrocities against the Karen, Karenni and Shan peoples. [166644]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe regularly discuss human rights issues on Burma with our EU partners. The UK has been instrumental in pressing for and supporting numerous demarches to the Burmese regime, including on human rights abuses against the ethnic groups.
§ Mr. LeighTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the British Government classifies systematic atrocities against the Karen, Karenni and Shan peoples by the Burmese military as (a) war crimes and (b) crimes against humanity under international law. [166645]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe British Government is one of the strongest critics of the Burmese regime's abuses of human rights. We are aware of a consistent pattern of serious violations over many years, particularly against the ethnic groups. These have been highlighted in successive UK co-sponsored resolutions on Burma in both the United Nations General Assembly and the United National Commission on Human Rights. But we do not consider that the atrocities constitute "war crimes" and "crimes against humanity", which have specific definitions under international law. Nor does the United Nations Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Burma, Sergio Pinheiro, who has regular access to Burma use these terms to describe the situation there.
§ Mr. LeighTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will take steps to strengthen the European Union common position on Burma, in response to the continuing systematic atrocities against the Karen, Karenni and Shan peoples by the Burmese military. [166646]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienGiven the State Peace and Development Council's (SPDC) announcement that the National Convention, the first step of the SPDC's 7-point roadmap to national reconciliation, will reconvene on 17 May to draft a new constitution for Burma we believe that it would send a wrong signal to 451W 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 developments on the ground in Burma.
We have been pressing strongly for the release of Aung San Sui Kui and Oo Tin Oo. I raised this on 18 April with the Chinese, Thai, Malaysian and Vietnamese neighbours of Burma at the ASEM Foreign Ministers meeting.
§ Mr. LeighTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government has made to the Burmese regime regarding recent Burmese military offensives in Northern Karen State and Karenni State. [166657]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI regularly raise our concerns on Burma with the Burmese authorities, most recently when I met the Burmese Ambassador at the end of February.
§ Mr. LeighTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will raise the issue of the Burmese military's systematic atrocities against the Karen, Karenni and Shan peoples at the UN Security Council. [166658]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe have raised our concerns over human rights violations in Burma with our Security Council Partners. However, currently there is no consensus to bring Burma before the Security Council.
Atrocities against ethnic groups in Burma have been highlighted in successive EU co-sponsored UN Resolutions on Burma.