Friday, November 23, 2007

Philippines: EU Lawmakers Vow To Block Free-trade Deal With ASEAN Without Reforms In Burma



MANILA, PHILIPPINES: The European parliament will oppose any free-trade deal between Europe and Southeast Asia unless Myanmar makes democratic reforms, visiting parliamentarians warned Friday (23 Nov).

"Without any change in Myanmar, there will be no agreement from the European parliament on the FTA" with the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, German lawmaker Hartmut Nassauer told reporters.

Nassauer, head of a nine-member European parliament delegation visiting the Philippines, rejected suggestions by some ASEAN members that sanctions should not be imposed on the military-led country. Europe will maintain sanctions and isolate Myanmar as long as reforms are not put in place, he said.

At the very least, Nassauer added, Myanmar should release long-detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners.

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1 comment:

Sword for a Sword said...

All EU or US needs to do is to sign a bilateral agreement with individual members of ASEAN. This is exactly what is happening. Nobody needs Asean. Even Than Shwe will walk out the moment Asean gets tough on him.
Asean is irrelevant even to its own members.