Friday, August 14, 2009

Senator Jim Webb meets Prime Minister Thein Sein

 
by Mizzima News
Friday, 14 August 2009 18:10

Chiang Mai (Mizzima) - US Senator Jim Webb, who arrived in Burma on Friday, met Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein in Naypyitaw, sources said.

Jim Webb, the senior most US official to visit Burma in more than one decade, arrived in the country days after the ruling junta gave opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi an 18-month suspended sentence. He is expected to meet the junta supremo Snr General Than Shwe and leaders of the main opposition party – the National League for Democracy – and other political parties.

Webb’s visit, who is known to oppose in principle sanctions against Burma, has not been appreciated by the Burmese opposition. The US has imposed financial sanctions as well as travel ban, freezing of assets on members of the junta and their relatives in response to the appalling human rights violations.

Webb on Saturday is expected to meet representatives of political parties and will meet Snr Gen Than Shwe. Later, he will return to former capital city of Rangoon and meet members of the US embassy and will pay tribute at the country’s holiest shrine, Shwe Dagon.

The next day, he will meet business communities in Rangoon.