Wednesday, July 22, 2009

U.S. sanctions policy likely to remain unaltered

 
by Mizzima News
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 12:45

Chiang Mai (mizzima) - The United States House of Representatives has voted to renew sanctions targeting Burma's ruling military for yet another year.

To the surprise of no one, the decision was made yesterday in Washington by lawmakers with respect to sanctions first imposed by the United States in 2003, only months after a motorcade containing opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was attacked outside the village of Depayin.

The verdict comes as Burma's military regime scrambles to cobble together a domestic atmosphere agreeable to the junta for next year's proposed general election, the first since 1990.

Events inside Burma in recent months have been dominated by both the trial of Aung San Suu Kyi and military operations and overtures tempting to quell ethnic unrest along the country's borders.

Renewal of the sanctions now passes to the Senate for approval, where it is not expected to encounter any opposition.