EU accused of condoning "pariah" Bu

[tinkyi@xxxxxxx]

EU accused of condoning "pariah" Burma with WTO action

Mon 21 Sep 98 - 10:11 GMT

BRUSSELS, Sept 21 (AFP) - International trade union organisations on Monday
accused the the European Union of condoning Burma's "crimes against
humanity" by trying to force a US state to end its boycott of multinationals
that do business with the South East Asian state.

The European Union is expected Tuesday to begin proceedings at the World
Trade Organisation (WTO) in Geneva aimed at forcing the state of
Massachusetts to revoke its legislation.

German electronics giant Siemens, Anglo-Dutch conglomerate Unilever and the
US computer giant Apple have all been denied contracts with the state
because of their activities in Burma.

The European Union, backed by Japan, argues that the stance is
discriminatory and has said it will request the
opening of a WTO disputes panel on Tuesday.

The move was denounced Monday by the International Confederation of Free
Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the
European Trade Union Confederation.

"If the actions of Massachusetts, which put the human rights of the Burmese
people above the interests of a fewmultinational companies, do not comply
with WTO rules, then the WTO rules need changing, not the actions of
Massachusetts," said ICFTU General Secretary Bill Jordan.

The Union groups said they were astounded that the EU could take such action
at the same time as joining
international condemnation of Burma's use of forced labour and its crackdown
on the democratic opposition led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

"It is extraordinary that one arm of the EU can pass resolutions condemning
Burma's humnan rights record, while at the same time, another arm is helping
the Burmese general commercial ties with multinationals," Jordan said.