Cablegate: Portugal: Additional Eu Sanctions On Burma

VZCZCXRO0996
RR RUEHAG RUEHCHI RUEHDF RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHIK RUEHLZ RUEHNH RUEHROV
DE RUEHLI #3145 3471459
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131459Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY LISBON
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6499
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES

UNCLAS LISBON 003145

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PO BM
SUBJECT: PORTUGAL: ADDITIONAL EU SANCTIONS ON BURMA
POSSIBLE IN THE FUTURE

REF: A) STATE 164893 B)LISBON 3095

In response to ref A points, MFA Burma desk officer Ana Luisa
Riquito informed post that the December 14 European Council
conclusions on Burma will be "unsubstantial" and are mainly
designed to keep Burma high on the agenda. However, she
added, the conclusions do include a paragraph on "the
possibility of extending further sanctions, if deemed
justified and appropriate, in the future." Riquito noted
that Burma sanctions were discussed intensively at the
December 11 Experts Meetings and at the December 13 COASI
working group. She underscored that the EU needed time to
evaluate the impact of sanctions already in place before
taking additional measures. However, she commented that ref
A targeted sanctions would probably be more effective than
current sectoral sanctions such as on the timber industry.
EU Special Envoy on Burma Piero Fassino has scheduled a
series of meetings in several ASEAN capitals in January.
Stephenson

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