Suu Kyi seeks to ease US sanctions

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi warned yesterday that reforms in her country had cleared only the “first hurdle” and…

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi warned yesterday that reforms in her country had cleared only the “first hurdle” and said she supported an easing of US sanctions as part of a broad partnership with Washington.

The Nobel laureate said the economic sanctions were a useful tool for putting pressure on Burma’s military government in the past, but now the people need to consolidate democracy without outside help.

“I do support the easing of sanctions, because I think that our people can start taking responsibility for their own destiny,” she said on the first day of a two-week US tour.

“I do not think we should depend on US sanctions to keep up the momentum of our movement to democracy,” said Ms Suu Kyi. – (Reuters)