Current Developments in
European Foreign Policy: Burma
REPORT
1. The Committee asked the Parliamentary Under-Secretary
of State, Ms Meg Munn MP, to give evidence on the most recent
developments in relations between the European Union and Burma.
We thank the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for her time.
2. In the Report we make available, for the information
of the House, the oral evidence given to Sub-Committee C (Foreign
Affairs, Defence and Development Policy) by the Parliamentary
Under-Secretary of State, accompanied by Ms Louise Lassman, Desk
Officer for Burma, International Organisations Department, and
Ms Ruzina Hasan, Desk Officer for Burma, South East Asia Pacific
Group, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on 15 May 2008.
3. Key topics in the evidence are:
THE MAY 2008 CYCLONE
- The human and physical damage
caused by the cyclone in May 2008 (Q 2)
- The problems of access for foreign aid workers
following the cyclone (QQ 3, 4, 7, 8, 12, 13, 16, 20)
- The role of the countries of ASEAN (Association
of South East Asian Nations) (QQ 5, 8-12, 16, 17, 20)
- UK aid, including from UK charities (QQ 6-8,
11, 16, 20, 23, 39)
- The EU's role (QQ 7, 12, 14, 15, 24)
- The US role (QQ 7, 12, 20)
- The role of China (Q 8)
- The attitude of the Burmese to the presence of
foreign soldiers (Q 10)
- The use of helicopters and flat-bottomed boats
(QQ 10-13)
- The UN role and that of the UN Agencies (QQ 12,
20)
- The Responsibility to Protect (Q 20)
- The transfer of money by private individuals
into the Burmese banking system (QQ 18, 19)
THE POLITICAL SITUATION AND SANCTIONS
- The effectiveness of sanctions
(QQ 21-30)
- The political situation in Burma and prospects
for the future (Q 22)
- The EU's suspension of preferential trade relations
(QQ 28, 29)
- The Burmese referendum on the future constitution
(Q 31)
- The possibility of political change in the wake
of the cyclone (QQ 32-35)
- The role of the BBC's World Service and language
services (Q 36)
- The UN's Gambari process (Q 37)
- EU engagement with Burma's neighbours (Q 38)
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