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Myanmar: No turning back on reforms

Military-dominated Myanmar says its recent democratic reforms are irreversible and has promised a prisoner amnesty in the near future.

Updated on: Sep 29, 2011 12:15 AM IST
AP | By , United Nations
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Military-dominated Myanmar says its recent democratic reforms are irreversible and has promised a prisoner amnesty in the near future.

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Foreign minister Wanna Maung Lwin told the UN General Assembly on Tuesday that talks last month between Myanmar's president and democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi were intended to put aside differences and find common grounds to cooperate.

The minister urged nations to lift economic sanctions.

In November Myanmar held its first elections in 20 years. The new government is nominally civilian but remains dominated by the military, which has ruled since 1962.

Western nations are urging Myanmar to free its more than 2,000 political prisoners and reconcile with Suu Kyi, whose party boycotted the November poll, saying the rules governing it were unfair.

Wanna Maung Lwin gave no details about the planned amnesty, other than that it would happen "at an appropriate time in the near future."

"We hope the near future will come very soon," said British ambassador to the UN Mark Lyall Grant said.

 
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