Word: burma
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 2000-2009
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...after a strategic review conducted over several months, the U.S. State Department announced in September that it would pursue a policy of cautious engagement with Burma, in part because isolation had not worked in blunting the regime's brutal behavior. Administration officials cautioned that sanctions would remain in place for the time being and would only be lifted if the Burmese government showed tangible human-rights progress. But dialogue with dictators, goes the new U.S. thinking that is being applied from Iran to North Korea, is now seen as preferable to not talking and cutting off any chance at reconciliation...
...change in policy also reflects the political and economic reality in Asia. While the U.S. and European Union have stayed away, other countries have poured money into Burma - most notably its neighbors China, Thailand and India, who are hungry for the country's plentiful natural resources. The sting of western sanctions has been lessened by such investment forays, leaving the Burmese military brass with plenty of money to prop up their regime. (See pictures of what lies behind the discontent in Burma...
...most trade questions, the position of the Obama Administration remains the same as that of its predecessor: polite pressure. On some security issues, however, the U.S. has moved more in line with the preferences of its Asian allies, like reopening bilateral dialogue with North Korea and direct talks with Burma. There have been few disputes among Obama's team on the correct position on any of these issues. (See pictures of Obama's past overseas trips...
...fears, he says, that the country might turn into a safe haven for illegal immigrants. "We don't want Nepal to be a hub for human-trafficking," says Bhattarai. The government recently imposed a ban on issuing on-arrival visas for the residents of a dozen countries, including Somalia, Burma, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Sudan...
...General in Burma I was excited to read the cover story when I saw the image of Burmese chief Than Shwe [Oct. 19]. People inside and outside Burma should welcome U.S. engagement with the Burmese junta. Burma desperately needs prodding toward a real democratic transition. Without the full participation of the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Aung San Suu Kyi in the coming 2010 election, I don't think that will occur. The U.S should encourage the Burmese generals to engage with the NLD and other ethnic leaders for a long-lasting peace. Salai C. Alexander, Seoul...