Myanmar, US enter new higher stage of relations

YANGON - Myanmar President U Thein Sein's working visit to Washington, who returned to his country on Wednesday night, has brought back positive achievements more than expected, signifying the entry of a new higher stage in Myanmar-U. S. relations, said some media and observers here Thursday.

U Thein Sein's visit represented the first to the United States of a Myanmar head of state since 1966 and was also a reciprocal one in merely half year to that to Myanmar by US President Barack Obama in last November.

The visit undoubtedly had practical significance over the long abnormal status of relations between the two countries.

According to an introduction to the media by his spokesman U Ye Htut ahead of the visit, U Thein Sein's Washington visit aimed at maintaining the trend of improved Myanmar-US relations and briefing Myanmar's situation to US side to seek total lifting of sanctions, some media reported.

During his visit, U Thein Sein met separately with Barack Obama and some key US congress leaders, and delivered series of speeches at Myanmar Embassy (directing at Myanmar residents in the United States), US Chamber of Commerce and John Hopkins University.

He also received interviews by the VOA, CNN and Washington Post.

According to reports, presidents of Myanmar and US held constructive talks at White House, focusing on Myanmar's continued reform process and some other issues concerned by the two sides.

U Thein Sein pledged to move ahead with the process while Obama assured of helping the process achieve success.

In a statement at a press conference following his talks with U Thein Sein at his Oval Office, Obama praised U Thein Sein for moving Myanmar down a path of political and economic reform process, making possible to halt the tense relations that prevailed in the past five decades.

Relaxation of all sanctions against Myanmar would enable the country's economic entities to run their businesses on a wider scale and more job opportunities would be brought about with an increase in trade and investment, he said.

Obama lauded Myanmar's efforts made over the past two years in holding elections and in solving the country's long-standing ethnic conflicts.

For his part, Thein Sein thanked Obama for his administration's policy of re-engagement with Myanmar, which he said has contributed to improved relations between their countries in a short period of time.

U Thein Sein admitted that there is a long journey for Myanmar to go on with much work still to be done.  

Speaking of some successes made by Myanmar, Thein Sein acknowledged that his country has been encountering obstacles and challenges such as poverty, unemployment and the limited size of the middle class.

The two leaders' talks also focused on Myanmar's rule of law, capacity building of the armymen and police members, agriculture, education and health sectors as well as upgrading of Yangon- Mandalay road.

According to media report, the US side requested Myanmar to continue release of political prisoners and properly handle religious and racial issues, while Myanmar side appealed to the US side to totally lift sanctions and provide transparent aid.

During the visit, Myanmar and the United States reached a trade and investment framework agreement. The trade agreement would create a platform for ongoing dialogue and cooperation on trade and investment issues between the two governments.

Meanwhile, the new Myanmar-US Trade Council announced setting up of its branch offices in Yangon, Washington and New York, calling for lifting of all remaining US sanctions on Myanmar to facilitate access to an undeveloped consumer market in Myanmar rich with natural resources.

U Thein Sein, at a roundtable discussion of ASEAN Business Council and US Chamber of Commerce in Washington, vowed Myanmar' s readiness to work with the international investors as an equal partner.

According to a local paper, Myanmar and the US reached consent during the visit over US technical assistance for the development of Myanmar's oil and gas sector.  US GE Company has opened representative office in Nay Pyi Taw Wednesday.

A Myanmar experienced media person said although US investment in Myanmar and bilateral trade each stands only over 200 million US dollars now, it is believed that the successful visit to US by U Thein Sein is bound to enhance the two countries' economic and trade ties and boost US companies' investment in Myanmar.

Particularly, there are some leading US congressmen have openly or privately revealed their fresh stance not to support the extension of US sanctions against Myanmar in order to continuously push its democratic process.

Under the situation, the Untied States seems possible to totally ease sanctions on Myanmar like the European Union did except arms embargo.  

Moreover, the Union Daily, run by the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), hailed in its editorial on Thursday the successful visit of the president, welcoming the continued improvement of Myanmar-US relations.

The editorial stressed that development of relations with all countries including the United States on the basis of peaceful coexistence guarantees no reverse in Myanmar's transition to democracy.

Other comments said improvement of Myanmar-US relations is a practical and strategic need for them despite difference in demand of the two sides.

Observers here analyzed that President U Thein Sein's Washington visit has paved way for an important step-on to a very important stage, creating a beneficial condition for further improvement of Myanmar-US relations.