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When David Cameron backed the suspension of EU sanctions on Burma in April 2012 , he emphasised in no uncertain terms that they would return if President Thein Sein’s administration reneged on democratic reforms. Spelling out the difference between suspending the sanctions and lifting them completely he said that the EU’s stance would “ make it quite clear to those who are against reform that should they try to obstruct the way of the reformers, then sanctions could come back."
One year on however, the Prime Minister has joined other EU leaders in a shock move to throw away their economic bargaining chip by scrapping sanctions permanently , leaving European businesses free to fill government coffers regardless of political conditions or human rights violations.