Ye Htut calls on US to ‘unconditionally lift’ remaining sanctions on Myanmar



YANGON: -- Myanmar's Minister of Information Ye Htut has called on the United States to lift remaining sanctions on Myanmar following the country’s successful elections, The Irrawaddy reported.

Speaking to Voice of America on the sidelines of a US-Asean Summit in California on Tuesday, Ye Htut said: “At a time when [Myanmar] has reached another stage in the transition process,

proven by the election results, the best way that the US can help Myanmar citizens is by unconditionally lifting all economic sanctions against (Myanmar).”

Ye Htut is accompanying Vice President Nyan Tun at the Feb 15-16 summit hosted by US President Barack Obama. President Thein Sein pulled out of the dialogue at the eleventh hour due, according to Ye Htut, to the country’s delicate transition period.

Asked by VOA about the Myanmar delegation’s agenda at the summit, Ye Htut reportedly said they would request the continued assistance of the US and Asean governments as a new government prepares to take over on April 1.

The US lifted some sanctions against Myanmar after Thein Sein’s administration took power in 2011. However, some restrictions remain, including an arms embargo and a blacklist preventing US firms from doing business with targeted individuals.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/151256


-- Thai PBS 2016-02-17

one rule for one, one for the other

Seems pretty reasonable for the US to leave things as they are for the next few years

to see how things shake out as far as I am concerned. There is still lots of progress

to be made.