EU could begin lifting sanctions in February
January 23 - 29, 2012
BRUSSELS – The European Union is mulling whether to begin lifting sanctions against Myanmar as soon as February to encourage signs of reform after decades of outright military rule, EU diplomats said last week.
Aid for the southeast Asian nation is also under consideration, as well as a visit soon by EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, her spokesman Michael Mann said on January 18.
“In the light of developments in the country, we have launched a general review of our policies,” he added.
The 27-nation bloc’s response to a string of conciliatory gestures by the Myanmar government is to be announced after talks between EU foreign ministers in Brussels on January 23.
The ministers are expected to announce willingness “to consider initial steps in February” on a start in lifting the sanctions, which otherwise come up for an annual review in mid-April, an EU diplomat said.
“Some countries want to give a sign of encouragement before April elections”, which will see a historic bid for parliament by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the source said on condition of anonymity.
In Paris, the foreign ministry said Britain and France had agreed to call for “a gradual revision of European sanctions” and would propose “the first measures in the very short term” at the January 23 talks.
But Britain’s William Hague and French counterpart Alain Juppe also agreed in a phone conversation on January 17 that the EU must remain vigilant, with the democratic standards of partial legislative elections April 1 impacting the “new approach”.
Since coming to office, the government has released hundreds of political prisoners and made other reformist moves, including dialogue with the opposition and pursuing peace deals with ethnic minority rebels.
The moves have sparked intense debate worldwide on potential policy change and in Brussels intensive discussions took place all last week to overcome “differences of opinion and decide how to encourage Myanmar” ahead of the ministerial talks on January 23, a source said.
Britain and some Nordic nations favoured ensuring the April by-elections were fair and free while other European countries, notably France and Germany, favoured quick action to encourage the reform process.
“There are steps before you lift sanctions,” said one diplomat on condition of anonymity. “Encouraging measures can be a first step, and then you lift sanctions.”
Should differences between EU nations persist, a decision to lift even a handful of sanctions in February could be strained as this would require unanimity.
In April a unanimous vote would be required to maintain the sanctions.
Ministers meanwhile are expected to agree to offer more development aid and other financial measures to bolster the reform process. – AFP
