Myanmar’s Suu Kyi open to easing of US sanctions

Tue., Sept. 18, 2012

Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi meets with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at the State Department on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012 in Washington. (Evan Vucci / Associated Press)

Matthew Pennington Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is signaling guarded support for the easing of the remaining U.S. economic sanctions on her country.

Suu Kyi was speaking Tuesday after meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the start of the Nobel laureate’s landmark visit of the U.S.

Suu Kyi said that she did not see a need to “cling onto sanctions” unnecessarily.

But she said that Myanmar would not have genuine democracy until all its political prisoners were released.

She said that 90 such detainees had been freed in an amnesty on Monday, but that according to her party, more than 200 were still being held.

Clinton also voiced concern over prisoners still held, and military ties between Myanmar and North Korea which she said persists.