ability to demonstrate that it is willing to contemplate a different course of
action, a different relationship with its own people," State Department
spokesman Philip Crowley said.
"I don't believe that any election without
the National League for Democracy can be a full, free and fair election,"
Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith told ABC Radio.
US and EU
should pressure more
Most people in Burma believe that it is vital
that United States and European Union clearly state that the pace of progress is
not yet sufficient for relaxing the US's sanctions and the EU Common Position.
People of Burma believe both US and EU should look to imposing additional
sanctions if the credibility of the reconciliation continues to be undermined.
In such a serious moment of planning a sham election, US and European
governments should make necessary preparations now for the commitment of
financial sanctions and arms embargo in Burma,
groundwork for such sanctions, US and EU should simultaneously help to prevent
the junta's deployment by clearly defining now what would be done sufficiently
in the upcoming elections handled by the junta. If the junta is truly made
progress then an easing, rather than a strengthening of sanctions could be
offered to the regime. If the regime is insincere in its attempt to talk
national reconciliation ahead of the polls, then western democracies, using a
concerted effort, ought to increase pressure on the Burma's military
dictator.
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