Asean to push Myanmar on democracy, wants sanctions lifted

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) wants the US and Europe to lift sanctions against member Myanmar after its recent elections and release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, it said on Sunday.
The moves by Myanmar, a politically isolated state that has often been an international embarrassment to the region, have given it a veneer of democracy but have not loosened its military rulers' firm grip on power.
Asean will keep pushing Myanmar to build on the release of Suu Kyi by including her in the political system, but countries which uphold sanctions against the country should recognise progress made so far, said Marty Natalegawa, foreign minister of Indonesia and Asean chair this year.
Asean advocates "the immediate or early removal or easing of sanctions that have been applied against Myanmar by some countries," Natalegawa told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of Asean foreign ministers on Lombok island in Indonesia.