Burmese Pro-democracy Leaders Visit US Sen. Webb

Burmese Pro-democracy Leaders Visit US Sen. Webb
By LALIT K JHA Wednesday, October 21, 2009

WASHINGTON — A delegation of pro-democracy leaders met US Sen. Jim Webb to present their views on the current situation in Burma and their perspective on the way forward, in particular with regard to sanctions and restoration of democracy in Burma.

The delegation was led by Maung Maung, the general secretary of the exiled National Council of the Union of Burma, and Bo Hla Tint, the foreign minister of the exiled National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma. They were accompanied by legal advisers from the Public International Law and Policy Group.

Webb, who recently became the first US law maker to visit Burma in a decade, has emerged as a key player in the Obama administration in shaping America’s Burma policy. He met with Snr-Gen Than Shwe and the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi during his visit.




Maung Maung said the meeting helped them to understand each other’s points of view, and they learned that they share the same goals.

“He [Webb] clarified that his stand on sanctions was not lessening sanctions. He emphasized that he was misquoted by the media,” Maung Maung told The Irrawaddy. “He is not for the lifting of sanctions right now, at the moment. This is what we learnt from him.”

Maung Maung said Webb told the delegation that he wants more economic development, peace and prosperity in Burma. “He wants to help us,” he said.

He said they advised Webb that the present US policy of not lifting sanctions but working to increase diplomatic contacts is a sound policy.

“We are in support of the present Burma policy,” he said, adding that it needs to be continued with consistent and concentrated effort on the part of the US.

The delegation gave the senator reports on the issues of national reconciliation and ethnic nationalities.
http://www.irrawadd y.org/article. php?art_id= 17033