ASEAN welcomes EU suspension of Myanmar sanctions

By Christine Joy Sarmiento

Wednesday 25th of April 2012

JAKARTA, April 25 (PIA) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has welcomed the European Union (EU) announcement of its suspension of sanctions on Myanmar.

ASEAN Chief Dr. Surin Pitsuwan said that, “All ASEAN Member States welcome the suspension of sanctions on Myanmar. We have called for this soon after the country’s general elections in 2012, and we reiterated our call immediately after the by-elections in early April.”

The 27 Foreign Ministers of the EU made the announcement in Luxembourg on Monday, April 23, 'suspending restrictive measure imposed on the government, with the exception of the arms embargo, which it will retain.’

“It is the right thing to do at the right time,” said Surin who is the Secretary General of ASEAN, a 10-member regional grouping which includes Myanmar.

He further said, “I hope that a long period of strained relations between ASEAN and the EU will be put behind us.”

Surin added, “The ASEAN-EU Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brunei at the end of April will see a new productive relationship being put on a higher plane for cooperation.” (ASEAN)