William Hague urges Burma along road to full engagement

FOREIGN Secretary William Hague yesterday welcomed a pledge by Burma to continue reforms and release more political prisoners, saying such progress, if sustained, would lead to deeper economic and political ties with the West.

The two-day visit by Mr Hague is the first by a foreign minister from Burma’s former colonial power since 1955, before the military takeover in 1962. Last year Britain welcomed Burma’s decision to release 230 political prisoners.

His visit follows the handover of power to a civilian government last year by the ruling generals, though it remains stuffed with former army figures.

“I hope we’ve reinforced at the highest levels of government the willingness of the international community, of the UK, of the European Union, to really strongly engage with this country,” Mr Hague said after meeting president Thein Sein, adding that depended on the momentum for change being maintained.

Britain is the biggest aid donor to Burma, and Mr Hague announced extra assistance after a meeting with the president, a former junta general, in Naypyitaw, the capital built in secret six years ago.

“This will help with microfinance to help very, very poor people and additional humanitarian assistance for people displaced by fighting,” he said. “Of course, we hope to be able to do much more in future, but that relies on necessary political progress, on reform continuing to be delivered,” he said.

Sustained political reform in Burma could pave the way for stiff economic sanctions to end and lead to western investment in oil, gas and other sectors. Burma’s neighbours in Asia, especially India, Thailand and China, are already rushing in.

The visit is a balancing act for Mr Hague, who will face home criticism if seen to appease former members of a junta condemned for its abuse of human rights and suppression of dissent. The army is still engage in fighting ethnic groups, leading to new claims of rights abuses.

“Hague can’t appear to go soft. The Burma issue has become a political football at home and if he’s not forthright, he will be criticised,” said Derek Tonkin, a prominent Burma analyst and former British diplomat.

Mr Hague is to hold talks today with Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Burma’s democracy movement and a Nobel laureate who was held under house arrest by the former junta. He met her at a dinner at the British embassy in Rangoon last night. Her support could make UK engagement more acceptable.

Earlier, after meeting Burma’s foreign minister, Wunna Maung Lwin, Mr Hague said he had asked the government for concrete progress in four areas – the release of political prisoners, holding fair by-elections, the resolution of conflict with ethnic groups and humanitarian access to conflict areas.

“I have assured him that if they [deliver], there will be a strongly positive response from the UK and, I believe, the rest of the European Union,” he said.

“The foreign minister has reaffirmed commitments made to release political prisoners. He said the changes are irreversible and I welcome that. I stressed the world will judge the government by its actions.”

Thura Shwe Mann, the influential speaker of parliament and number three in the former junta, said: “Our parliament will continue to work so everyone can participate for democracy and development.”