East and West Unite For First Time Demanding Burma Prisoner Release – ASEM Summit

The Burma Campaign UK today warmly welcomed a statement from European and Asian leaders which called for the release of Burma’s political prisoners. Representatives of 45 countries were meeting in China. The summit began on the day that Aung San Suu Kyi reached 13 years in detention.

“This is a significant breakthrough. It is the first time we have had Europe and Asia come together in this way to demand real political progress in Burma,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “The demand for the regime to release political prisoners is particularly significant. The release of all political prisoners is increasingly being considered the minimum benchmark for progress if Ban Ki-moon goes ahead with his visit to Burma in December.”

The number of political prisoners has almost doubled to more than 2,100 since the democracy uprising last year, despite calls for their release from the United Nations Security Council. In December Ban-Ki-moon is due to visit Burma to discuss the country’s political problems. It will be the first time a UN Secretary General has done so.

“This is a critical test to see whether the regime is prepared to engage in a political process, and whether political pressure really can influence the regime, said Mark Farmaner. “ASEM, the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, ASEAN, the EU and USA have all called for the release of prisoners and for genuine dialogue. We have had 37 UN envoys visit Burma and not a single political reform to show for it. Ban Ki-moons visit will be a make or break moment. If this does not work then it will be clear dialogue with this regime doesn’t work, and that discussions on a Security Council resolution should begin again.”

For more information contact Mark Farmaner on 02073244710.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Chair’s Statement of the Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting
Beijing, 24-25 October 2008
http://www.asem7.cn/download/cssaem.pdf

1. The Seventh Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 7) was held in Beijing on 24 and 25 October 2008. The Summit was attended by the Heads of State and Government of sixteen Asian and twenty-seven European nations, the President of the European Commission and the Secretary-General of ASEAN Secretariat. The President of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Hu Jintao addressed the opening ceremony. The Premier of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Wen Jiabao chaired the meeting.

12. Leaders exchanged views on developments in Myanmar. They expressed their unanimous support for the good offices role of the UN Secretary General. The Leaders acknowledged the progress achieved in assisting the post-Nargis relief work by the Tripartite Core Group (TCG) comprising Myanmar, the UN and ASEAN, and the assistance provided by the international community to those in need. They expressed the support to the United Nations to continue to play a constructive role and to the ASEAN-led mechanism to continue its good performance in coordinating the ongoing relief and recovery efforts in Myanmar. The Leaders took note of the briefing by Myanmar on the recent developments and prospects. They noted the recent visit to Myanmar last August by the UN Secretary-General Special Advisor Ibrahim Gambari and supported the UN to continue its good offices efforts, and they encouraged the Myanmar Government to conduct closer cooperation with the UN. They also encouraged the Myanmar government to engage all stakeholders in an inclusive political process in order to achieve national reconciliation and economic and social development. In this regard, they called for the lifting of restrictions placed on political parties and early further release of those under detention.

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