EU may lift sanctions against Myanmar

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, Brunei - The recent European Union (EU)'s announcement to suspend part of the sanctions against Myanmar was hoped to pave the way for reaching a full-lifting of the sanctions and help the country to smooth the transition process, said Bulgarian Foreign Affairs Minister Nickolay E Mladenov.

Mladenov, who is in Brunei attending the 19th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting, said in a interview with Brunei Times published Friday that his country supports the suspension of sanctions against Myanmar and expressed hope that the next step of full-lifting of sanctions could be determined.

"We've supported the suspension of sanctions on Myanmar and I hope this is a first step until we can reach a point of which all sanctions can be lifted," said Mladenov.

In regards to development assistance provided by the EU, the Bulgarian foreign minister said that a support package up to 150 million euro ($198 million) is now being put on the table for Myanmar.

According to a statement of the European Commission last February, the fund assistance is meant to support various development sectors such as health, education, agriculture and aid uprooted people in 2012-2013.

The EU ealier decided to suspend restrictive measures against Myanmar except an arms embargo.

The 27-member bloc will also open an office in Yangon when EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who is also attending the ASEAN-EU meeting, visits the country from April 28 to 30.

In a separate interview, the Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said that the announcement on EU suspension of sanctions against Myanmar was hoped as the beginning of a full- lifting.

"The step by the EU to suspend sanction against Myanmar is a positive development but we wish to see eventually this be made permanent," he said.

The ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan said the issue on Myanmar was causing tension between the relations of the two blocs for a long time even before Myanmar joined ASEAN membership in 1997.    

"And since then it has been an issue with all the dialogue partners, particularly the EU," he said.