British Foreign Office Minister Skeptical of Burmese Elections
Created: Jul 19 2010
On Sunday during a visit to Thailand, UK Minster of State for Foreign Affairs, Jeremy Browne, says the new British government will continue to pressure Burma to improve its political and human rights record.
He says Britain will not view Burma's upcoming elections as free and fair while Nobel peace laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other political prisoners remain in detention.
[Jeremy Browne, UK Minster of State, Foreign Affairs]:
"We do not regard the forthcoming election as a legitimate expression of public opinions. We continue to have a very strong view that the situation in Burma is unacceptable."
Browne says more than 2,000 political prisoners are in Burmese jails.
On reports that North Korea and Burma may have been cooperating on a project to develop nuclear arms, Brown says it contravenes international law and that nuclear proliferation of this type is wrong.
[Jeremy Browne, UK Minster of State, Foreign Affairs]:
"We will express that in the strongest terms at international institutions."
He says Britain will not view Burma's upcoming elections as free and fair while Nobel peace laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, and other political prisoners remain in detention.
[Jeremy Browne, UK Minster of State, Foreign Affairs]:
"We do not regard the forthcoming election as a legitimate expression of public opinions. We continue to have a very strong view that the situation in Burma is unacceptable."
Browne says more than 2,000 political prisoners are in Burmese jails.
On reports that North Korea and Burma may have been cooperating on a project to develop nuclear arms, Brown says it contravenes international law and that nuclear proliferation of this type is wrong.
[Jeremy Browne, UK Minster of State, Foreign Affairs]:
"We will express that in the strongest terms at international institutions."
