US removes penalties against Myanmar's President

The US Treasury has removed Myanmar's President, Thein Sein, from a list of individuals who are barred from doing business or owning property in America.

The US Treasury has removed Myanmar's President, Thein Sein, from a list of individuals who are barred from doing business or owning property in America.

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The announcement comes as Myanmar's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, is on a high-profile trip to the US that is expected to include a private meeting on Wednesday with President Barack Obama.

The Obama administration wants to balance its praise for Suu Kyi with credit for Thein Sein, who's been key to Myanmar's democratic reforms.

The speaker of Myanmar's lower house of Parliament, Thura Shwe Mann, also was removed from the list. He was the third-ranking member in Myanmar's former ruling junta. Thein Sein was Prime Minister.