No lifting sanctions till situation improves in Myanmar: US

Even as the United States began a dialogue process with the military junta, the Obama administration has ruled out lifting of sanctions till Myanmar makes progress on restoration of democracy and human rights of its people.

Even as the United States began a dialogue process with the military junta, the Obama administration has ruled out lifting of sanctions till Myanmar makes progress on restoration of democracy and human rights of its people.

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Kurt Campbell, the Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, told US lawmakers that though the administration has engaged with the military junta, there are no thinking on lifting of economic sanctions on Myanmar.

"We will maintain our existing sanctions until we see concrete progress and continue to work with the international community to ensure that those sanctions are effectively coordinated," Campbell said in his testimony before the East Asian and Pacific Affairs Sub Committee of Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs.

The top diplomat said the Obama administration is consulting with key regional players including China, India and Japan on how to move forward with respect to Myanmar.

"We need to step up our dialogue not only with our partners in Southeast Asia but other countries who are deeply involved, both economically and politically, inside the country," Campbell said.

He said the US has already begun that process with Japan, "and I think you will see over the course of the next several months a deeper dialogue with both China and India to get a greater sense of what their goals and aspirations are in Burma going forward".