In a move that is expected to give a significant economic boost to
Myanmar, the US has said it will begin easing restrictions on imports of
goods from the southeast Asian country in recognition of efforts by its
government to bring the country back on the road to democracy.
The announcement was made by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
during her meeting with Myanmar’s President U Thein Sein on the
sidelines of the UN General Assembly on Wednesday.
It comes just a week after Myanmar’s pro-democracy icon Aung San
Suu Kyi embarked on a historic visit to the United States and urged
lifting of sanctions on her country.
“In recognition of the continued progress toward reform and in
response to requests from both the government and the opposition, the
United States is taking the next step in normalizing our commercial
relationship. We will begin the process of easing restrictions on
imports of Burmese goods into the US,” Clinton said before her meeting
with Sein here.
Clinton expressed hope that the move would provide more
opportunities for the people of Myanmar to sell their goods into the US
market.
“We have watched as you and your government have continued the
steady process of reform, and we’ve been pleased to respond with
specific steps that recognize the government’s efforts and encourage
further reform,” she said.
No comments:
Post a Comment