THE US government is to embark on a major policy shift towards Burma after concluding that its long-term policy of sanctions had failed to sway the junta.
The US state department confirmed yesterday that the new strategy, while keeping sanctions in place, would involve high-level engagement with Burmese leaders, in line with President Barack Obama’s policy of talking with countries it regards as international pariahs. In contrast with George Bush’s administration, Mr Obama has offered to hold direct talks with Iran and North Korea.
The shift was signalled on the sidelines of the UN general assembly in New York on Wednesday night, when the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, said America would move “in the direction of both engagement and continued sanctions”.
Speaking to foreign ministers at a Friends of Burma meeting, she said: “Engagement versus sanctions is a false choice in our opinion. So we will be employing both of those tools . . . to help achieve democratic reform we will be engaging directly with Burmese authorities.” The sanctions, imposed by the EU and US, would be eased if the junta moved towards significant reform.
The US is pushing for the introduction of democracy and the release of the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Supporters of the Nobel Peace prize winner gave the policy shift a cautious welcome. Maran Turner, executive director of Freedom Now, which is campaigning for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, said: “We are glad the Obama administration is turning its attention to Burma. It is time for a multifaceted approach.” However, she questioned the value of engagement if it involved only the US and the junta.
The new strategy comes after a policy review on Burma ordered by Ms Clinton in February. It coincides with a visit to the UN general assembly by the Burmese leader, Than Shwe, the first senior member of the junta to attend for 14 years. To try to ease criticism of the country’s human rights record, the junta last week declared an amnesty for about 7,000 prisoners.
UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, speaking after the meeting with Mrs Clinton, said next year would be critical for Burma, when it is scheduled to hold an election. Opposition groups have already labelled the poll a sham.
A US official familiar with the new policy said when Mrs Clinton ordered the review she said neither sanctions nor the engagement by the regional body, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, had worked.
The official said: “Sanctions remain important . . . they have not produced the results we would like, but that does not mean they don’t have value.”
The official was speaking off the record because members of Congress had not been briefed on the change. They were to be given details later yesterday.
Singapore’s foreign minister, George Yeo, said re-engagement “will enable the US and Europe to have more influence in the political evolution of the country”.
– ( Guardianservice)