KEY POINTS:
Green MP Keith Locke says the Government is letting down the people of Myanmar by not imposing economic sanctions.
Prime Minister Helen Clark and Foreign Minister Winston Peters have ruled out imposing economic sanctions against Myanmar's repressive military junta unless they were agreed to by the United Nations.
The Greens want bans on imports from and investment in Myanmar (previously called Burma), and the freezing of any assets held in New Zealand by members of the regime.
"Merely continuing with New Zealand's visa ban on members of the junta is not a sufficient response to the brutal crackdown occurring in Burma today," Mr Locke said.
He called for New Zealand to act independently.
"We are letting the Burmese people down in their hour of need," Mr Locke said.
"Instead of just repeating the line that sanctions hurt ordinary people, as Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has done, we should be taking our lead from Aung San Suu Kyi and her democracy movement, who very much favour sanctions as a means of putting pressure on the regime."
Mr Locke said New Zealand trade with Myanmar was small, but collectively nations could have an impact.
"Since 1997 the United States has banned both imports and investments from Burma, and is now looking at stronger measures against the financial assets of the regime," he said.
"British Prime Minister Gordon Brown wants the European Union to strengthen existing sanctions on some imports, which currently don't include timber and oil imports. Australia is talking about targeted financial sanctions."
He said China was likely to veto any UN Security Council moves towards sanctions.
"In any case, the more countries which impose sanctions, the more likely it is that we will get action from the UN," he said.
Mr Locke said Mr Peters' comments would make New Zealand look like a soft touch for the junta.
Helen Clark, speaking from Britain yesterday, said New Zealand would follow the United Nations' lead.
"We act on a multilateral basis. If the UN declared sanctions we would impose them. We almost certainly do have targeted visa sanctions on Burma already." she said.
Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen had raised the issue with the Chinese Government during his visit to Beijing, because its views on what should happen in Myanmar were very important.
New Zealand's diplomats were also discussing with their counterparts in the Asean (Association of South-East Asian nations) about developments in Myanmar.
The Prime Minister said those calling for New Zealand to suspend trade talks with Asean because of Myanmar's membership missed the point.
"I don't think it is fair to the rest of Asean. I think Asean is deeply embarrassed by Burma's behaviour.
"Asean is making it clear that Burma is an embarrassment to them and it puts Asean in a bad light and they are agitating for change there."
Mr Peters said New Zealand's exports to Myanmar were small and mainly made up of milk products.
"I don't really see how the New Zealand people would think it wise to cut off the supply of food to babies and infants," Mr Peters told Radio New Zealand.
- NZPA
