Burma dismisses ILO sanctions

The military government in Burma says the International Labour Organisation's decision to recommend its members impose sanctions over the issue of forced labour will have little impact.

The deputy foreign minister, Khin Maung Win, said Burma's trade was mostly with neighbouring countries which were not obliged to follow the resolution.

He said the ILO decision was a political move by a small group of western countries.

A majority of ILO members voted on Thursday in favour of a resolution urging member states and organisations to reconsider their relations with Burma because of what it said was its widespread use of forced labour. Analysts say the ILO's punitive action could cause the military regime real damage.

They say trade union bans could see Burma's valuable agricultural exports turned away from ports around the world.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service