Burma: ‘notice’ given

It’s reported here that...

A divided Security Council voted on Friday to add Burma to its agenda, deeming it a threat to regional and international peace and security.

Ten nations, including the US, voted in favour of the addition, while China, Russia, Qatar and the Democratic Republic of Congo voted against it. Tanzania abstained.

So, will the Free West invade? Hopefully not – even though the fall of the Burmese junta would in and of itself be a good thing – but Burma’s democratic opposition is hopeful that putting the regime ‘on notice’ in this way “will certainly help pave the way for national reconciliation in our country.”

It’s pointless really, but one does wonder, had Australia a seat on the Security Council, which way our Government would have voted. My guess is that it would have joined Tanzania in abstaining. To date, Foreign Minister Downer has maintained unshakeable faith in the Government’s strategy of sending over fierce bands of human rights advisers.