Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Government has consistently condemned the lack of progress towards democracy in Burma and the continuing abuse of human rights and fundamental freedoms in that country. Together with our EU partners, we remain acutely aware of, and gravely concerned about, the continuing house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, other opposition activists and a number of MPs elected in 1990. Aung San Suu Kyi, who will be 60 on 19 June 2005, has now been under house arrest since 30 May 2003. I am pleased to note that Aung San Sauu Kyi will be honoured by the city of Galway with the freedom of that city on the occasion of her sixtieth birthday.

On 7 May 2005, the EU Troika of Foreign Ministers met the Burmese Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. U Nyan Win, in the margins of the Asia-Europe Meeting, ASEM, of Foreign Ministers in Kyoto, Japan. The Troika expressed concern about the situation in Burma and called on the Burmese authorities to enter into a constructive dialogue with the opposition National League for Democracy, NLD, other legitimate representative bodies and ethnic groups. The Troika also called for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, and all political prisoners. The Troika further appealed to the Burmese authorities to establish permanent and sincere co-operation with the UN Secretary-General's special envoy on Burma, Mr. Razali Ismail, the special rapporteur on the situation on human rights in Burma, Mr. Sergio Pinheiro and with all relevant UN agencies. The Burmese Foreign Minister undertook to consider the demands expressed by the EU.

At the opening session of the ASEM Foreign Ministers meeting on 6 May, European and Asian Foreign Ministers collectively expressed to the Burmese Foreign Minister, their concern at the situation in Burma and expressed the expectation that all restrictions on the democratisation process will be lifted at the earliest possible opportunity. Ireland was represented at the meeting by the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Dick Roche. The Minister urged the Burmese authorities to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners. He also expressed Ireland's grave disappointment and concern that the Burmese authorities had failed to create the conditions for political parties to participate in the national convention, now in recess.

On 14 April 2005, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights passed without a vote a resolution, introduced by the EU, and co-sponsored by Ireland, which criticised systematic violations of human rights in Burma, and called for the restoration of democracy and freedom for all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi. The resolution also called on the Burmese authorities to release unconditionally and immediately, all political prisoners, with particular emphasis on the elderly and the sick. It further called on the Burmese authorities to desist from arresting and punishing persons for their peaceful political activities.

The Government's continuing goal, and that of the EU, remains the return of democracy to Burma, an end to human rights violations there and the realisation of peace and prosperity for the long suffering people of Burma.