Nov 8, 2007 (DVB), Italian politician Piero Fassino has been appointed as the European Union's special envoy for Burma, according to an EU statement issued on Tuesday.

Javier Solana, the EU high representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, appointed Fassino to the post to coordinate the EU's efforts to bring about positive change in Burma and support the efforts of United Nations special envoy Ibrahim Gambari.

"This appointment underlines the importance that the EU attaches to democratic change, reconciliation, the improvement of the human rights situation and development in Burma/Myanmar," said the statement.

Fassino is an Italian member of parliament from the Democrats of the Left party, and a former minister of justice.

Reporting by DVB