Euro-MPs urge China, India, Russia to pressure Myanmar

(STRASBOURG) - EU lawmakers urged China, India and Russia Thursday to use their might to pressure Myanmar to improve human rights and called on them to stop supplying arms to the regime.

In a resolution, the European parliamentarians urged "China, India and Russia to use their economic and political leverage with the authorities of Myanmar in order to bring about substantial improvements in the country."

They also called on the three "to stop supplying the (Myanmar) regime with weaponry and other strategic resources."

The resolution, voted through in Strasbourg, condemned "the ongoing, systematic violations of the human rights, fundamental freedoms and basic democratic rights of the people of Myanmar."

The deputies also expressed concern over the trial and sentencing of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and called for her immediate release, as well as permission for her to take part in upcoming elections.

The European Union slapped a first set of sanctions on Myanmar in 1996, banning arms exports, imposing visa restrictions on junta allies and families, limiting diplomatic contacts and freezing officials' offshore accounts.

New measures were taken in 2007 after a crackdown on pro-democracy protests by Buddhist monks, banning European firms from importing wood, minerals, gems and metals from Myanmar.

Last August, the 27 nation bloc extended the measures following the trial of Suu Kyi, by slapping a visa ban and asset freeze on members of the judiciary.

Further information, European Parliament:

Full text of resolutions will appear here (click on 11 February 2010)