The Senate has unanimously endorsed a motion from Greens Senator Scott Ludlam to call on the Australian Government to increase its diplomatic pressure on Burma and support an arms embargo against the country's brutal military regime, on the eve of democratically elected Aung San Suii Kyi's 64th birthday.

The United Nations is investigating claims the Burmese regime has broken Geneva conventions by targeting civilians through extreme acts of violence and the army continually crushes peaceful protest.

Despite this, the UN has no arms embargo on Burma and the regime is still able to buy foreign weapons to continue its oppression of the Burmese people.

Senator Ludlam acknowledged the cooperation of all parties in the Senate in working toward a unanimous motion:

"Today the Australian Senate has taken an important step in further isolating the morally bankrupt Burmese regime. If the Australian Government follows suit, then we will join a host of other countries in calling for a global arms embargo," said Senator Ludlam.

 Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States have all called for a global arms embargo on Burma.

"The Burmese regime is one of the most brutal in the world. Appalling human rights abusers should not be able to purchase their weapons in the global market. The Australian Government should heed today's Senate motion and join this international campaign for an embargo," said Senator Ludlam.