Washington, September 25: The US is set to engage directly with Burma’s military rulers in an effort to push for democratic reforms while maintaining sanctions – a move that has the support of the imprisoned opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
In a policy shift that underscores how the West’s regime of sanctions has failed to bring about change in the South-east Asian country and also how Asian giants such as China are benefiting from Burma’s natural resources, the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton said dialogue with the junta was to be stepped up.
Officials revealed that direct engagement had already been under way for several months and that the US expected Burma to soon name an “interlocutor”.
–Agencies