The UK government said on Tuesday that it is “pursuing all levers” to guarantee a peaceful return to democracy in Myanmar, where the military declared a year-long state of emergency after taking control of the country and accusing leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party of fraud over its recent election victory.
“As to the UK response, we are pursuing all levers to ensure a peaceful return to democracy,” junior foreign minister Nigel Adams told Parliament.
Adams said that the UK government has gone from making representation at the highest level within Myanmar to encourage all sides to resolve disputes in a peaceful and legal manner, and urgently convening the UN Security Council to address the crisis, to reviewing all indirect support to the Asian country’s authorities with a view to cutting it.
“In light of the coup, the Foreign Secretary has today announced a review of all such indirect support to the Myanmar government, with a view to suspending it unless there are exceptional humanitarian reasons,” he said.
The minister of state also said that UK Foreign Minister, Dominic Raab, had a call scheduled for later this week with Aung San Suu Kyi, whose whereabouts are unknown since her detention, and is expecting the conversation go ahead as planned.
“We are clear in our demands that this call goes ahead, and we hope it will serve as an opportunity to confirm her safety,” Adams stressed.
The UK foreign ministry official said that he is planning to speak to representatives of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations and China to seek regional support for the restoration of the principles of democracy and constitutional government to the people of Myanmar.
