On Thursday 8 March, Burma's Deputy Minister for Information Aung Hla Tu called on the EU not to sanction his country following the persecutions that have taken place of the Rohingya minority.
"On behalf of the entire government, I want to make an appeal to the European Union. Do not isolate us again," he said in an interview with Danish daily newspaper Politiken. On 26 February, the EU Council asked High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini to prepare sanctions against those responsible for the violations of human rights (see EUROPE 11969). These measures would be individual (an assets freeze and visa ban), however, and not economic.
According to Aung Hla Tun, sanctions would force his country to turn towards China. "We would not have a choice. We cannot stand alone", he said. "It would have a huge influence on everything. Foreign policy. Trade. Cultural affairs – and our transition to democracy. That’s what worries me. We would be forced to go back to square one. I hope that this will not happen", he added.
"I do not claim that we are perfect. But in most cases, we are innocent. We have been misinterpreted", he said regarding the accusations of persecution of the Roghingya. According to Politiken, Aung Hla Tun claims the Rohingya are pulling a huge PR stunt on the world in order to gain protection from the United Nations. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)