Clarification needed on Burma diplomatic links
Mr Cowen claims this initiative will mean Ireland "can contribute more directly to promoting the process of democratisation" and has called on Burma's regime to permit entry to the UN's special representative. This is a vague wish-list and far from what is expected of the EU presidency.
It simply defies reason to act in a way which brings comfort to a regime known to have the world's worst human rights record, in the forlorn hope that it will promote democracy. To add insult to injury, the minister appears not to have consulted or considered the views of the party that has been denied its legitimate place in government in Burma's last free elections of 1990 the National League for Democracy.
