Washington, October 01: Even as the United States began a dialogue process with the military junta, the Obama administration has ruled out lifting of sanctions till Myanmar makes progress on restoration of democracy and human rights of its people.
Kurt Campbell, the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, told US lawmakers that though the administration has engaged with the military junta, there is no thinking on lifting of economic sanctions on Myanmar.
“We will maintain our existing sanctions until we see concrete progress and continue to work with the international community to ensure that those sanctions are effectively coordinated,” Campbell said in his testimony before the East Asian and Pacific Affairs Sub Committee of Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.
The top diplomat said the Obama administration is consulting with key regional players including China, India and Japan on how to move forward with respect to Myanmar.
“We need to step up our dialogue not only with our partners in Southeast Asia but other countries who are deeply involved, both economically and politically, inside the country,” Campbell said.
He said the US has already begun that process with Japan, “and I think you will see over the course of the next several months a deeper dialogue with both China and India to get a greater sense of what their goals and aspirations are in Burma going forward”.
Campbell on Tuesday had led the United States in its first talks with the Burmese military junta, which was led by its Minister of Science and Technology. The meeting held in New York lasted for several hours.
“The Burmese permanent representative to the United Nations also participated in the discussion, as well as a few other individuals who came in especially from the capital for these sessions,” the US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs said.
“These were substantive talks over several hours that lasted into the evening. We laid out very clearly our views, and I stressed to U Thaung that this is an opportunity for Burma, if it is ready to move forward,” he said.
Campbell underlined that any easing of sanctions now would send the wrong signal to those who have been striving for democracy and progress in Myanmar.
“Through our dialogue, we also will make clear to the Burmese leadership that relations with the United States can only be improved in a step-by-step process if the Burmese government takes meaningful actions that address our core concerns,” he said, adding we will “reserve the option of tightening sanctions on the regime and its supporters to respond to events in Burma”.
–Agencies