US to ease Myanmar sanctions

Washington to lift restrictions on investments and appoint ambassador

WASHINGTON: The United States is to ease restrictions on investment to Myanmar and quickly appoint an ambassador as it seeks to boost reformers who allowed landmark elections in the long-closed nation.

In its latest gestures under a threeyear diplomatic drive on Myanmar, the United States said it would step up aid and allow select officials to visit but stopped short of easing the bulk of two decades worth of biting sanctions.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hailed the “leadership and courage” of President Thein Sein after the opposition swept Sunday’s by-elections, giving Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi her first seat in parliament.

“The United States will stand with the reformers and the democrats both inside the government and in the larger civil society as they work together for that more hopeful future that is the right of every single person,” Clinton told reporters.

Clinton said the United States would start easing restrictions on US investment and financial services in areas seen supporting reforms in the country formerly known as Burma.

Officials said they were deciding the exact measures and timeframe but that one priority would be to allow the use of credit cards in Myanmar, one of the few nations where Mastercard, Visa and American Express are never accepted.

Clinton – who paid a landmark visit to Myanmar in December – said the United States would complete formalities “in the coming days” to send an ambassador, completing a promised upgrade to full relations after a two-decade gap.

In other steps, the US Agency for International Development will set up a mission inside Myanmar to look at boosting its Us$35mil (Rm105mil) in annual aid and private US organisations will be allowed to conduct a greater range of work, including on health and education.

But Myanmar will stay under a number of tough sanctions set by the US Congress including a ban on its key exports such as jade.

“Sanctions on individuals and institutions on the wrong side of these historic reform efforts will remain for now,” Clinton said.

Clinton said the United States was still pressing for a release of all political prisoners and the end to restrictions on the hundreds freed.

She also called for reconciliation with minority groups and the “verifiable termination” of any military cooperation between Myanmar and North Korea.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch Mcconnell, the top senator from the rival Republican Party whose approval is critical to confirm an ambassador, gave his “support in principle” to the measures announced.

“The government has taken many positive steps of late but still has much to do, including ensuring that violence against the Kachin and other ethnic minorities ceases, as well as ending the Burmese military relationship with North Korea,” Mcconnell said.