European Union foreign ministers Monday approved the opening of a dialogue on human rights cooperation with Myanmar to help the country advance with respect to freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
According to the decision of the 28-nation bloc, both parties shall meet regularly once a year to exchange views and evaluate results.
The dialogue will cover areas such as the death penalty , non-discrimination of minorities, freedom of expression, association and religion, women's rights, protection of civilians and refugees in armed conflict and the fight against human trafficking.
In case of the death penalty, the EU will seek a moratorium with a view to eventual abolition, says the text.
Opening a cooperative dialogue on human rights is a first step in relations with the EU for future partnerships.