Brussels, 28/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) have protested to the EU against the presence of representatives of the Burmese military junta at the EU/ASEAN ministerial meeting of 27 and 28 January (see other article). In a press release, they recall that, in October 2002, the EU renewed the sanctions (notably the visa ban) imposed on members of the Burmese regime. "The ICFTU maintains that by granting a visa to SPDC Deputy Foreign Minister, Khin Maung Win, the EU is being inconsistent with its own policy decisions", we read in this press release that stresses that "Khin Maung's visit takes place against the background of continued repression in Burma, generalised forced labour and attacks on trade unionists and other democracy activists".