Strasbourg, 22/05/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 21 May, Nicole Kiil-Nielsen MEP (Greens/EFA, France) drew attention to the human rights conditions in Burma/Myanmar and called for the implementation of provisional application over an 18-month period of the generalised system of preferences (GSP) to assess the progress of the Burmese authorities. This provisional application is the subject of an amendment to David Martin's report (S&D, United Kingdom) on re-instating the benefit of the generalised system of preferences for Burma - a report that was discussed in plenary on 22 May.
While recalling the “operation of democratisation” in Burma that has been going on for two years (including the release of political prisoners and greater press freedom), Kiil-Nielsen said that she will not support the report so as not to re-enter into the “naïve enthusiasm” of the EU - a term used by Aung San Suu Kyi to describe the attitude of Europe. Recalling that European sanctions were suspended a year ago and removed on 22 April (see EUROPE 10831) and that the EU now wants to apply the GSP to Burma, Kiil-Nielsen has “the impression that we are going very fast”.
“Everything is decided by the generals. For the moment there is no change”, Kiil-Nielsen criticised, saying that there “is no question for the moment of constitutional reforms”. She highlighted the situation of Muslims in Burma and, in particular, the case of the Rohingya - one of the minorities most discriminated against in the world, whose situation is “appalling”. (CG/transl.fl)