European Union Backs Global Arms Embargo on Burma

The Burma Campaign UK today welcomed a statement by the European Union calling on the international community to join it in its ban on the sales of arms and military equipment to Burma.
EU Foreign Ministers meeting on April 29th also agreed to renew existing sanctions against Burma for a further year, and expressed concern that the draft constitution would “allow the military to suspend the constitution at will, as well as fail to accommodate the country’s ethnic diversity.”

“The EU’s call for a global arms embargo is very welcome,” said Mark Farmaner, Director of Burma Campaign UK. “Momentum is building behind a global arms embargo. Now we need to see European governments actively working to make this happen. The EU must make sure this is on the agenda for the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) heads of state summit meeting that will be held in Beijing on 24th October.”

The EU has a longstanding arms embargo against Burma, but China, Russia, India, North Korea and other countries continue to arm the regime, despite its war of ethnic cleansing in Eastern Burma.
The Burma Campaign UK also expressed disappointment that the EU had not agreed any further economic sanctions against Burma, despite previously stating that they would consider new sanctions if the regime did not respond to international calls for reform.  In fact, repression has been increasing in the country.

For more information contact Mark Farmaner on 020 7324 4713

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