Cyclone Nargis

UN humanitarians agencies are working hard to bring relief to the people of Burma after the cyclone Nargis. Click here for the latest Foreign Office statement on Burma.

Democracy

The UK is working to ensure that the UN does what it can to facilitate a transition to democracy in Burma.

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and French President Nicolas Sarkozy wrote a joint letter to Burmese pro-democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi on her birthday on 19 June praising the leader of the National League for Democracy for her exceptional courage and dedication to the Burmese people, and calling for immediate democratic reform in Burma.

Most recent

The Security Council adopted on 2 May under the UK Presidency a statement on Burma underlining the need for the government to establish the conditions and create an atmosphere conducive to an inclusive and credible process, including the full participation of all political actors and respect for fundamental political freedoms. The Security Council also reaffirmed its unwavering support for the Secretary-General's good offices mission and expresses its appreciation for the work of his Special Adviser, Ibrahim Gambari.

The Security Council adopted a Presidential Statement on 11 October 2007 that set out the expectations of the international community of the Burmese regime, including the early release of all political prisoners and "a genuine dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups in order to achieve an inclusive national reconciliation with the direct support of the United Nations".

The UK Foreign Secretary made a speech on the Democratic Imperative in February 2008 on Burma's 60th year as an independent nation.

Background

Myanmar/Burma was added to the Security Council agenda for the first time in late 2006. On 12 January 2007, a US-drafted Security Council resolution that would have urged Burma's military government to release all political prisoners, speed up progress toward democracy and to stop attacks against ethnic minorities, was vetoed by China and Russia, who believe that Burma does not pose a threat to regional security. The UK co-sponsored the resolution. Since then the Security Council has adopted two statements encouraging the transition to democracy in Burma, on 11 October 2007 and 14 November 2007.

Ibrahim Gambari, currently Special Envoy to the UN Secretary-General, has visited Burma a number of times - most recently in March 2008. UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, Sergio Pinheiro, has visited seven times to investigate allegations of abuses during the repression of the peaceful protests in September and October. His mandate was renewed by the UN’s Human Rights Council in March 2008.

Note on Burma/Myanmar:

Britain's policy is to refer to Burma rather than 'Myanmar'. The current regime changed the name to Myanmar in 1989. Burma's democracy movement prefers the form ‘Burma’ because they do not accept the legitimacy of the unelected military regime to change the official name of the country. Internationally, both names are recognised.