I propose to take Questions Nos. 16, 50, 58 and 72 together.
I welcome the announcement by the Burmese Government on 18 November 2004 of the release a number of prisoners, including many political prisoners such as Ko Paw Oo Tun, who has been in jail since he led student protests in 1989, and a member of the central executive of the NLD, Mr. Win Tin. I hope this will lead to the release of other political prisoners in Burma, including Aung San Suu Kyi, who, regrettably, remains under house arrest.
As I have stated to the House on a number of previous occasions, the Government has pursued a strong and consistent line in support of democracy in Burma. Both Ireland, and our EU partners, remain strongly critical of the continued detention under house arrest of Aung San Suu Kyi, other activists and a number of MPs elected in the elections of 1990. We have been critical also of the absence of political progress, serious and persistent human rights abuses and the lack of fundamental freedoms in Burma.
The issue of Burma is raised in all our bilateral political contacts with relevant third countries, particularly Burma's Asian neighbours. Most recently, I raised the issue of Burma with Vice Premier Huang Ju of China during official talks on 16 November 2004. The Taoiseach raised our concerns about Burma at the Fifth ASEM Summit, which took place from 7 to 9 October in Hanoi. The Taoiseach, in his intervention, questioned why Aung San Suu Kyi has not been released, and why there has not been greater progress towards democracy in Burma.
During our EU Presidency, the Government ensured that the issue of Burma was regularly discussed in consultations with interested third countries. I am pleased that this practice has been carried forward by the Netherlands Presidency, which has demonstrated a similar commitment to fostering democracy in Burma.
Burma was high on the agenda at the ASEM Foreign Ministers' meeting, which my predecessor hosted in Kildare in April 2004, as well as at the preceding informal meeting of EU Foreign Ministers held at Tullamore. There was considerable hope at that time that the Burmese regime was about to release Aung San Su Kyi and allow her party, the NLD, to participate in the national convention. Indeed, the Burmese Foreign Minister at the time, since dismissed, announced publicly that Aung San Su Kyi was about to be released. This optimism was reflected in the decision by EU Ministers at Tullamore to indicate that if Aung San Su Kyi were released, the NLD invited to participate in the National Convention and the Convention permitted to operate free from harassment, the EU would be ready to re-examine its engagement with Burma.
Regrettably, the expected positive developments have not been forthcoming. Lack of support from our Asian partners meant that the EU was not able to prevent Burma's participation in the newly enlarged ASEM short of provoking the collapse of ASEM. Nevertheless, the EU used the recent ASEM Summit to make clear its opposition to the actions of the Burmese regime. Immediately following the summit on 10 October, the Union took the decision to reinforce sanctions against the Burmese regime by adopting a revised and strengthened Common Position. The Government has decided, given the lack of progress in Burma, to put the proposed exchange of ambassadors between Ireland and Burma on hold.
The Government's continuing goal, and that of the EU, remains the release and restoration of liberty to Aung San Suu Kyi, the return of democracy to Burma, an end to human rights violations and the realisation of peace andprosperity for the long suffering people of Burma.