{"id":10263,"date":"2011-09-08T19:09:04","date_gmt":"2011-09-08T19:09:04","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2011-09-08T19:09:04","modified_gmt":"2011-09-08T19:09:04","slug":"US-envoy-meets-ministers-in-first-Myanmar-visit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asiancemagazine.com\/?p=10263","title":{"rendered":"US envoy meets ministers in first Myanmar visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new US envoy to Myanmar kicked off his first trip to the country today as part of Washington’s strategy of engagement with the army-dominated nation.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Derek Mitchell<\/strong>, who was appointed as the first US coordinator for policy on Myanmar last month, began the visit by meeting foreign minister Wunna Maung Lwin in the capital Naypyidaw.<\/p>\n

He is then scheduled to see a variety of other senior figures including speakers in the parliament — formed after last November’s controversial elections — before returning to Yangon on Saturday.<\/p>\n

Mitchell<\/strong>, a veteran policymaker on Asia, will meet democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi <\/strong>on Monday, according to her spokesman Nyan Win.<\/p>\n

In his Senate confirmation hearing in June, Mitchell said he would seek “direct and candid” dialogue with Myanmar’s leaders but that the United States should be flexible in its approach<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

His post was created when Congress, under then-president George W. Bush, approved a law on Myanmar in 2008 that tightened sanctions against the country<\/strong>, but the position was not filled at the time due to a political dispute.<\/p>\n

After taking power in 2009 President Barack Obama’s administration changed tack, concluding that the sanctions aimed at isolating Myanmar had been ineffective.<\/p>\n

Mitchell is also set to meet party leaders in Yangon, including representatives from the National Democratic Force (NDF), which split with Suu Kyi’s party to contest the election.<\/p>\n

The isolated nation’s nominally civilian government has recently appeared to be seeking to improve its image by reaching out to critics such as Suu Kyi<\/strong>, who last month met President Thein Sein<\/strong>, a former general, for the first time.<\/p>\n

Source AFP<\/em>
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