Manila seeks lifting of Myanmar sanctions

The Philippines has called on the global community to lift sanctions on Myanmar to reward “unprecedented” reforms that are taking place and help the country move towards democracy.
The Philippines, which for many years was one of the most outspoken Asian critics of military rule in Myanmar, particularly welcomed the government’s pledge last week to release 651 political and other prisoners in a mass amnesty.
“This action demonstrates the political resolve and commitment of the Thein Sein government to nurture an environment for an enduring national reconciliation and democracy,” the foreign affairs department said in a statement issued late Tuesday.
It said that the “unprecedented political and economic reforms now underway in Myanmar should find reciprocal gesture from the international community and that international sanctions against Myanmar should already be lifted.”
Philippine foreign affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez told AFP yesterday that his government, along with other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, had already called for a lifting of sanctions on Myanmar last year and reiteradted its call on Tuesday.