ASEAN Chief Dr Surin Pitsuwan said that, “All ASEAN Member States welcome the suspension of sanctions on Myanmar.  We have called for this soon after the country’s general elections in 2010, and we reiterated our call immediately after the by-elections in early April.”

The 27 Foreign Minisers of the EU made the announcement in Luxembourg on Monday, 23 April, 'suspending restrictive measure imposed on the Government, with the exception of the arms embargo, which it will retain.'

“It is the right thing to do at the right time,” said Dr Surin who is the Secretary General of ASEAN—a 10 member regional grouping which includes Myanmar.  He further said, “ I hope that a long period of strained relations between ASEAN and the EU will be put behind us.”  Dr. Surin  added, “The ASEAN-EU Foreign Ministers Meeting in Brunei at the end of April will see a new productive relationship being put on a higher plane for cooperation.”

April 25, 2012

Source: Asean.org

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