EU agrees to ease Myanmar sanctions
Jan 23, 2012, 1:47 PM
BRUSSELS (AP) – The European Union is rewarding Myanmar’s moves toward political reform by easing some sanctions against the regime.
The EU foreign ministers agreed Monday on a “first step”, ending the visa ban on the president and top government officials.
EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said she would visit the country after an April 1 election, in a move set up with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
As well as the visa ban, over the years the EU has imposed an arms embargo, a ban on the sale of goods linked to internal repression, and has suspended certain development aid programs.
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