Luxembourg, (DPA) European Union (EU) foreign ministers were set to call for further sanctions on Myanmar, and to discuss the question of sanctions on Iran, at a meeting in Luxembourg Monday.
The government of Myanmar “must engage with the process being led by Ambassador (Ibrahim) Gambari (UN special envoy) to create a political process involving all parties in Burma (Myanmar), a process of political reconciliation,” British Foreign Secretary David Milliband told journalists.
“If they do that, then there will be economic incentives and economic support for the people of Burma (Myanmar). If the regime refuses, then obviously there will be further sanctions,” he added.
The regular meeting of the foreign ministers of the EU’s 27 member states is also set to discuss the question of Iran’s nuclear programme, in the wake of a French call for the EU to consider imposing its own sanctions if UN pressure fails to produce results.
Britain has strongly supported that call, with Milliband urging the EU to tell Iran “that you do have a right to be a proud member of the international community, but you must abide by the responsibilities of the international community as well.”
But other member states are reported to be more cautious, and are expected to propose that the EU limit its sanctions to those agreed in the forum of the UN.
The wide-ranging discussions, which come just days before EU heads of government are due to meet in Lisbon, are also set to cover the Middle East peace process, developments in Kosovo and Bosnia, relations with Libya, peacekeeping in Chad and preparations for an EU-Russia summit next week.