§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his European counterparts regarding economic sanctions on Burma. [161333]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe EU Common Position aims to target the military regime and its associates while avoiding measures that hurt, as far as possible, the Burmese people. We have regular discussions with our EU partners on this.
§ Dr. TongeTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Burmese Government regarding human rights in that country. [161379]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI regularly raise the Government's concerns on human rights in Burma with the Burmese authorities, most recently when I met the Burmese Ambassador on 23 February. We co-sponsored the UN General Assembly Human Rights Resolution on Burma last December and will play an active role in the forthcoming UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. We strongly support the efforts of Sergio Pinheiro the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has made to the Burmese Government on the prolonged detention under Article 10a of the 1975 State Protection Act of political prisoners who have already served their sentences; [161491]
206W(2) what representations he has made to the Government of Burma on the (a) detention and (b) imprisonment of 52 persons after 30 May 2003. [161492]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe have repeatedly called on the Burmese regime to release fully all political prisoners and to allow them to play an active role in national reconciliation in Burma.
§ Mr. BercowTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he received on the construction of a new road by the Burma Army south-east from Mawchi. [161494]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI am aware of a report from Christian Solidarity Worldwide, compiled on the basis of information from Karenni groups, of a road being built by the Burmese army to access a mine south east of Mawchi in Kayah State. Security restrictions prevent staff from our embassy from travelling to this area to verify this information.
§ Mr. Simon ThomasTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Myanmar regarding the(a) civil and (b) political rights of the Karen people. [161648]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienWe are concerned by the issue of ethnic minority rights and the abuses suffered by ethnic groups in Burma including the Karen people. The UK has repeatedly called on the Burmese military regime to enter into genuine and substantive dialogue with all political parties and ethnic groups in Burma leading to national reconciliation.