The Age Australia
Washington allows visit by Burmese minister
written by JOHN POMFRET, WASHINGTON
Thursday September 24, 2009
FOR the first time in nine years, the US has allowed Burma's Foreign Minister to come to Washington, a sign of softening American policy towards the military junta.
Major-General Nyan Win quietly arrived in Washington last Friday night and left the next day after meetings with members of Burma's embassy, a US-Asian business council and senator James Webb, the Virginia Democrat who has advocated closer ties to the junta, said embassy spokesman Kyaw Win.
The Foreign Minister also took in some sightseeing, visiting the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
A State Department spokesman said the minister did not meet any US officials.
The main goal of the trip was to evaluate the embassy, which needs repairs, Kyaw Win said.
Nyan Win's 24-hour sojourn appeared to be part of a new policy by the Obama Administration towards Burma, said officials and sources familiar with the trip. The policy encourages US officials to engage the Burmese Government on a higher level.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was scheduled to attend a meeting of the Group of Friends of Burma, established by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, overnight.
In addition, Burma's Prime Minister, General Thein Sein, is attending the UN General Assembly, making him the most senior junta member to attend the annual gathering since the nation's second-in-command did so in 1995.
He is expected to meet there with Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, according to a source briefed by US officials.
US policy towards Burma has been under review for nine months. American officials met last Friday to iron out the final details, and the results are expected to be announced soon.
Several US officials said the Obama Administration had decided that economic sanctions first imposed on the junta in the 1990s would not be lifted, but neither would they be tightened. More humanitarian aid might be approved.
Administration officials would not comment on the possible changes.
Since the late 1990s, as part of sanctions against the junta, Burmese officials have been banned from travelling to the US and the European Union except to attend meetings of international organisations.
Under the 2003 Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act, the White House needs to approve a waiver to allow Burmese officials attending the UN General Assembly to travel more than 46 kilometres out of New York City.
Washington allows visit by Burmese minister
written by JOHN POMFRET, WASHINGTON
Thursday September 24, 2009
FOR the first time in nine years, the US has allowed Burma's Foreign Minister to come to Washington, a sign of softening American policy towards the military junta.
Major-General Nyan Win quietly arrived in Washington last Friday night and left the next day after meetings with members of Burma's embassy, a US-Asian business council and senator James Webb, the Virginia Democrat who has advocated closer ties to the junta, said embassy spokesman Kyaw Win.
The Foreign Minister also took in some sightseeing, visiting the White House, the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
A State Department spokesman said the minister did not meet any US officials.
The main goal of the trip was to evaluate the embassy, which needs repairs, Kyaw Win said.
Nyan Win's 24-hour sojourn appeared to be part of a new policy by the Obama Administration towards Burma, said officials and sources familiar with the trip. The policy encourages US officials to engage the Burmese Government on a higher level.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was scheduled to attend a meeting of the Group of Friends of Burma, established by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, overnight.
In addition, Burma's Prime Minister, General Thein Sein, is attending the UN General Assembly, making him the most senior junta member to attend the annual gathering since the nation's second-in-command did so in 1995.
He is expected to meet there with Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, according to a source briefed by US officials.
US policy towards Burma has been under review for nine months. American officials met last Friday to iron out the final details, and the results are expected to be announced soon.
Several US officials said the Obama Administration had decided that economic sanctions first imposed on the junta in the 1990s would not be lifted, but neither would they be tightened. More humanitarian aid might be approved.
Administration officials would not comment on the possible changes.
Since the late 1990s, as part of sanctions against the junta, Burmese officials have been banned from travelling to the US and the European Union except to attend meetings of international organisations.
Under the 2003 Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act, the White House needs to approve a waiver to allow Burmese officials attending the UN General Assembly to travel more than 46 kilometres out of New York City.
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Bloomberg
U.S. Plans ‘New Approach’ to Myanmar, Will Engage With Junta
written by Janine Zacharia
Thursday September 24, 2009
The Burmese military junta holds more than 2,000 political prisoners, including Buddhist monks, journalists and artists and has doubled the number of such detainees in the past two years, Human Rights Watch said in a report last week.
Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD leader, remains under house arrest. She has spent 14 years in detention since the NLD (she) won elections in 1990 (by a landslide), a result the military (immediately) rejected.
Myanmar’s junta triggered international condemnation last month when it extended her custody order for 18 months after convicting the opposition leader of violating the terms of her detention. Suu Kyi, 64, is appealing against her conviction.
Senator Jim Webb became the FIRST senior U.S. official to meet with junta leader Senior General Than Shwe when the Virginia Democrat visited Myanmar last month and secured the release of John Yettaw.
Yettaw was imprisoned for swimming to Suu Kyi’s lakeside home in the former capital, Yangon, a visit that prompted charges to be brought against the opposition leader (Aung San Suu Kyi).
U.S. Plans ‘New Approach’ to Myanmar, Will Engage With Junta
written by Janine Zacharia
Thursday September 24, 2009
The Burmese military junta holds more than 2,000 political prisoners, including Buddhist monks, journalists and artists and has doubled the number of such detainees in the past two years, Human Rights Watch said in a report last week.
Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD leader, remains under house arrest. She has spent 14 years in detention since the NLD (she) won elections in 1990 (by a landslide), a result the military (immediately) rejected.
Myanmar’s junta triggered international condemnation last month when it extended her custody order for 18 months after convicting the opposition leader of violating the terms of her detention. Suu Kyi, 64, is appealing against her conviction.
Senator Jim Webb became the FIRST senior U.S. official to meet with junta leader Senior General Than Shwe when the Virginia Democrat visited Myanmar last month and secured the release of John Yettaw.
Yettaw was imprisoned for swimming to Suu Kyi’s lakeside home in the former capital, Yangon, a visit that prompted charges to be brought against the opposition leader (Aung San Suu Kyi).
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