Singapore urges US to lift economic sanctions on Myanmar

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Singapore urges US to lift economic sanctions on Myanmar

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Singapore urged Washington to lift economic sanctions against Myanmar.

02 February,2012 10:46 am

Singapore welcomed greater U.S. engagement in Asia and urged Washington to lift economic sanctions against Myanmar to encourage democratic reform there.Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam made the comments Wednesday after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, where the allies agreed to deepen their long-standing ties. The Obama administration is stepping up its involvement in the economically prosperous Asia-Pacific. Part of that policy has been to reach out to military-dominated Myanmar after two decades of isolation over its brutal suppression of democracy.The U.S. has announced it will restore full diplomatic relations with Myanmar after releases of political prisoners and a gradual shift from direct military rule. But for now, the U.S. retains tough economic, trade and political sanctions against the country also known as Burma.We believe its time to look at the sanctions and reconsider their utility, Shanmugam told The Associated Press in an interview. He acknowledged that legal steps are required for lifting sanctions but added: Myanmar needs to be encouraged in this process, and its people need to be helped. I think economic sanctions arent helping the people.The conduct of by-elections to be contested by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi in April will be an important test. If the vote is free and fair, pressure will grow on the U.S. to ease the restrictions, which would require the consent of Congress.Shanmugam said Myanmars President Thein Sein, who visited Singapore this week, is committed to continuing reforms.Singapore, a prosperous city state, is among Americas most steadfast allies in Asia, and last year offered berths to U.S. Navy ships, supporting an American effort to reassert its military presence in Southeast Asia after a decade of preoccupation with Iraq and Afghanistan.That reflects the allies shared interest in preserving regional security and freedom of navigation in seas crucial to world trade where Chinas assertive behavior has caused unease.But Singapore also retains good relations with China, and while Shanmugam said that for decades the U.S. has been key to peace and prosperity in Asia, he stressed that meant more than military presence.Economic engagement, we think, is extremely important, he said.He said Singapore had encouraged the U.S. involvement in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact being negotiated by nine nations, also including Chile, New Zealand, Brunei, Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Peru.Shanmugam said it is realistic for broad parameters of the agreement to be hammered out this year, but said it would be up to larger economies involved if they were to meet the U.S. goal of completing the pact this year.