US Charge d’Affairs meets with opposition leaders

by Myint Maung
Tuesday, 20 October 2009 19:18

New Delhi (Mizzima) – The Charge d’Affaires from the United States Embassy in Rangoon on Tuesday met with leaders from Burma’s primary opposition party – National League for Democracy – to discuss the US’s new policy vis-à-vis Burma, according to the NLD.

NLD spokesperson Nyan Win said US Charge d’Affairs Larry Dinger, the highest ranking US diplomat in-country, and two other officials from the US Embassy in Rangoon visited their office on West Shwegondine Street to go over the new US policy on Burma.

“They explained to us that the US plans to maintain sanctions but will also directly engage the military government. He [Dinger] also asked us of the NLD’s stand on the new policy,” Nyan Win explained.

The meeting with the NLD central executive committee (CEC) members lasted for about an hour, from 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. (local time).

The session came as a follow-up to the meeting between US, United Kingdom and Australian diplomats and detained party leader Aung San Suu Kyi on October 9.

“The NLD welcomes the meetings and has a policy of working together with the international community,” Nyan Win added.

On October 9, the Burmese junta granted detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi her request to meet with diplomats from the US, UK and Australia in order to debate the impact and appropriate extent of a sanctions policy.

The Nobel Peace Laureate in September delivered a proposal to junta chief Senior General Than Shwe, offering her cooperation in working together to ease sanctions on the country. She also requested Than Shwe to allow her to meet with diplomats from the US, UK and Australia, which are currently imposing sanctions against the regime.

Following the proposal, the junta arranged two meeting between the detained Burmese democracy icon and the junta’s liaison minister, Aung Kyi.

“Aung San Suu Kyi, during our meeting on October 16, sent a message to the NLD CEC that she will not take any crucial decisions without first consulting them,” Nyan Win said.

Since Aung San Suu Kyi’s meeting with the three diplomats, the NLD CEC, on October 14, has also been visited by a Sweden-led delegation from the European Union.

Washington has not maintained an official ambassador to Burma since the country’s aborted 1990 general election, in which Suu Kyi’s NLD claimed a clear victory.