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BURMA RELATED NEWS – JANUARY 07- 09, 2012
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AP – Australia eases sanctions against Myanmar
AP – Reports: Myanmar cancels planned coal power plant
AFP – Top US officials on Clinton ‘follow up’ in Myanmar
Reuters – Myanmar army chief visits Thailand, Dawei project in focus
Reuters – Asian firms in pole as Myanmar beckons
Asia Times Online – A decommissioned inquiry on Myanmar
The Nation – For the good of Burmese, Asean and Suu Kyi will have to work together
The Nation – PTTEP eyes LNG blocks with existing PTT deals
Bangkok Post – Stronger military ties with Burma
Bangkok Post – Dawei locals appeal to govt
Aliran – 60000 villagers flee Burma military assault
The Christian Post – Burma’s Christian Civilians Attacked During Christmas
IRIN – MYANMAR: High hopes for Karen peace talks
Bernama – More Armed Groups Expected To Sign Peace Agreements With Myanmar Government
NASDAQ – Volkswagen will have to reverse gears to sell in Burma (VLKAY, GM, F, VROM)
Washington Examiner – Burmese businesses bring a new flavor to Waterloo
China Daily – Support for Myanmar
Times of India – Antiques smuggled through Sunderbans
The Spectator – The Burma trail
The Irrawaddy – Adviser Denies Hinting Govt Role for Suu Kyi
The Irrawaddy – Further Hardships for Rangoon Warehouse Blast Victims
The Irrawaddy – Four Killed, 40 Injured in Bomb Blast at Karen Festival
Mizzima News – NLD reshuffles senior leadership
Mizzima News – 4,000-MW power plant project cancelled in Dawei
Mizzima News – Burma to call for offshore energy bids
DVB News – Shan army to hand over drugs
DVB News – NDF lines up candidates for April vote
DVB News – Britain balancing hope and scepticism in Burma
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Australia eases sanctions against Myanmar
AP – 2 mins 45 secs ago
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Australia said Monday it is easing some restrictions on members of Myanmar’s ruling elite in response to political reforms by its military-backed government.
The decision came as the party of Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi began gearing up to contest by-elections on April 1. Her National League for Democracy party has cautiously endorsed reforms instituted by President Thein Sein that include legalizing labor unions and freeing some political prisoners.
Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd announced the easing of sanctions during a visit to Indonesia, Australia’s Foreign Affairs Department said.
“The changes to the sanctions list are an acknowledgment that Burma is taking a number of important steps toward a more open democracy and greater engagement with the region,” the department said a statement, using the name for Myanmar preferred by the country’s democracy movement.
Australia bars visits by senior Myanmar officials and bans financial transactions with them. Like other Western nations, it imposed the sanctions because of abuses by the previous military government.
The new policy removes former Cabinet ministers who have left politics and tourism officials from the sanctions list. The statement said an arms embargo remains in place.
“We hope positive developments, such as the increased participation of opposition parties in the political process, the release of around 220 political prisoners, and new labor laws that will legalize trade unions, will continue. In this context we will keep our approach to sanctions under review,” Rudd said in the statement.
The United States and Britain, whose foreign secretary last week visited Myanmar, have not eased their sanctions, saying the release of more political prisoners is a key indicator of the progress of reforms. Between 1,000 and 2,000 political prisoners are believed to still be detained.
Thein Sein took office last year after a general election boycotted by Suu Kyi’s group, which said the polls were undemocratic.
The government legally dissolved her party for…
