To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Burma. [103045]

The human rights situation in Burma is poor and a matter of grave concern. The UK Co-sponsored a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly in November 2002 that condemned the Burmese regime's record and I issued a public statement on 20 November giving my strong support for the resolution. On 18 February, the European Union issued a statement expressing concern over the deteriorating situation in Burma, including further politically inspired detentions and arrests. With EU partners, we are preparing a resolution for the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in April that will again press for action to address the human rights abuse in Burma.