1 October 2007

Locke condemns Government inaction over Burma sanctions

Green Party Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Keith Locke has expressed disappointment at the Government's rejection of any economic sanctions on Burma.

"We are letting the Burmese people down in their hour of need," Mr Locke says.

"Instead of just repeating the line that sanctions hurt ordinary people, as Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has done today, we should be taking our lead from Aung San Suu Kyi and her democracy movement, who very much favour sanctions as a means of putting pressure on the regime.

"Our trade with Burma might be small, but we should be standing alongside other Western nations who are either considering economic sanctions, or looking at how to strengthen those that already exist. Since 1997 the United States has banned both imports and investments from Burma, and is now looking at stronger measures against the financial assets of the regime.

"British Prime Minister Gordon Brown wants the European Union to strengthen existing sanctions on some imports, which currently don't include timber and oil imports. Australia is talking about targeted financial sanctions.

"We can't wait for the United Nations to agree on sanctions when China is in a position to veto any Security Council moves. China is Burma's main trade partner. In any case, the more countries which impose sanctions, the more likely it is that we will get action from the UN.

"New Zealand does not want the Burmese regime to be looking at Mr Peters' statements, and concluding that New Zealand is a 'soft touch' over its apparent readiness to do business with tyrants, even while they attack peaceful demonstrators.

"The Green Party is proposing bans on imports from Burma and investment in that country, and the freezing of any assets held here by members of the regime. Merely continuing with New Zealand's visa ban on members of the junta is not a sufficient response to the brutal crackdown occurring in Burma today.

"We hope that when Helen Clark meets leaders of Britain, France and the European Union this week, they will convince her of the need for New Zealand to be part of the global community's new cluster of sanctions."

ENDS

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