Statement
Ministry for Foreign Affairs 26 May 2009
Carl Bildt, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Carl Bildt on Burma and the Asia-Europe Meeting: "A considerable success"
"The final communiqué from the ASEM in Hanoi was a success," says Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt.
"It was very important that we had a clear mention of Aung San Suu Kyi and a joint call from the 45 countries here that those imprisoned must be released and that restrictions on political parties must be removed."
"The fact that we in Europe find this so is less sensational, but that we have now been joined by countries such as China and Vietnam is without doubt a considerable success."
"Of course it then remains to be seen if this palpably stronger international political pressure is capable of influencing the Burmese regime."
