BRUSSELS:
EU countries have agreed in principle to
suspend all sanctions against Myanmar, with the exception of an arms embargo,
for a 12-month period, European Union diplomats said on Thursday.
The
12-month extension "gives us time to assess the sustainability of
reform", said a diplomat close to the talks.
A
formal announcement, which would include the possibility of reviewing the
decision in six months, is expected at a meeting of European Union foreign
ministers on Monday in Luxembourg.
EU
foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton this week pledged to ease sanctions at
the end of the month in response to continued political reform in the country.
Ashton,
who will travel to Myanmar on April 28-30 and who has invited the country's
foreign minister to Brussels, said: "We need to go further and build a
partnership with Myanmar."
"I
do hope that what we are now seeing is an opportunity for this country to go
forward," she said. "We will now enter into an active collaboration
with Myanmar, to assist the reform process and to contribute to economic,
political and social development."
An
easing of sanctions was expected after British Prime Minister David Cameron and
the country's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi issued a joint call last week
for the suspension of sanctions against the country.
Myanmar
President Thein Sein has surprised observers with a series of reforms since
taking office last year, including accepting Suu Kyi and her party back into
the mainstream and freeing hundreds of political prisoners.
But
Western sanctions were largely left intact as the international community
balanced fears over the sustainability of the changes and a desire to bolster
regime reformers who may face pressure from those wary of change.
Suu
Kyi's endorsement of the suspension was also seen as crucial.
-
AFP/al
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