Written question asked by Keith Simpson (Conservative) on Wednesday, 17 October 2007, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 22 October 2007. It was answered by Jim Murphy (Labour) on Tuesday, 23 October 2007 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Burma: Sanctions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the effectiveness of the new package of EU sanctions announced in the EU Council Conclusions on Burma/Myanmar on 15 October will be (a) monitored, (b) assessed and (c) reviewed; and if he will make a statement.

Answer: [holding answer 22 October 2007]: The EU monitors and evaluates sanctions through its range of geographical and thematic working groups. For Burma, the relevant working group is the Committee for Asia (known as COASI). Formal legal reviews of EU sanctions are also undertaken by the Foreign Relations Counsellors Working Party (known as RELEX).We will be working closely with all our European partners to ensure that this new package of EU sanctions will be properly monitored, assessed and reviewed, including addressing any risk that goods might be diverted or re-exported to Burma. The EU is prepared to review, amend or reinforce measures in the light of developments on the ground.We are discussing a range of broader measures with our EU colleagues that target sources of revenue for the regime, but do not hurt the civilian population. We do not exclude introducing a total ban on future investment if the regime does not make concessions on dialogue.Whether the EU measures against the Burmese regime are strengthened or relaxed in future will depend on the regimes willingness to allow a real political transition to begin.

Secondary information