UN is told of failings on Burma reform

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By Harvey Morris at the United Nations

Published: February 20 2009 22:50 | Last updated: February 20 2009 22:50

The United Nations Security Council heard on Friday there had been no progress in persuading Burma’s military regime to reform.

This followed an acknowledgment from Hillary Clinton, US secretary of state, that a dual policy of sanctions and engagement had failed.

EDITOR’S CHOICE
Burmese ruby ban likely to be undermined - Nov-17Burmese junta jails fuel protesters - Nov-11Indian help sought on Burma - Oct-30Burma’s junta frees Suu Kyi aide - Sep-23In depth: Burma - Nov-15UN envoy defies call to scrap Burma mission - Sep-13Ibrahim Gambari, UN special envoy to Burma, reporting on his seventh diplomatic mission to the country, said there was “no tangible outcome” from his talks with government leaders.

Mrs Clinton said earlier this week during her Asian tour: “It is an unfortunate fact that Burma seems impervious to influences from anyone. The path we have taken in imposing sanctions hasn’t influenced the Burmese junta, but reaching out and trying to engage them has not influenced them either.”

The effectiveness of a sanctions regime by the US and other western states has been undermined by China’s resistance in the security council to imposing punitive action that would be binding on all member states.

Human-rights activists are banking on diplomatic encouragement by President Barack Obama’s administration to wean Beijing away from support for Burma and other regimes, such as Sudan and Zimbabwe, for which it has provided diplomatic cover at the UN.

Diplomats at the UN said the weighty foreign policy agenda facing the new US administration meant Burma might be relatively low on its list of priorities. The issue of rights violations by the regime – in particular the prolonged detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader – was kept to the forefront during the Bush administration by the personal engagement of Laura Bush, the former president’s wife.



Signalling a review of current policy, Mrs Clinton said in Tokyo this week that Washington was “looking for ways that we could more effectively help the Burmese people”.

Jean-Maurice Ripert, French ambassador to the UN, said on Friday that the European Union was also conducting a review.

Jeremy Woodrum, of the Washington-based US Campaign for Burma, noted that US sanctions had widespread bipartisan support in Congress and had enjoyed the backing of both Mr Obama and Mrs Clinton. Joe Biden, the US vice-president, sponsored a bill banning the import of Burmese jade and gemstones when he was chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee. Mr Woodrum said he did not think a policy review necessarily presaged an easing of measures already in place.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2009