US in touch with India, Japan on Myanmar coup
The US also said it has made the determination that deposing of a duly elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi constituted a military coup and the determination will trigger related restrictions and sanctions.
The United States said on Tuesday it is having “daily ongoing conversations” with India, Japan and other countries that have better relations with the military in Myanmar, in the wake of the army seizing power in the country.
The US also said it has made the determination that deposing of a duly elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi constituted a military coup and the determination will trigger related restrictions and sanctions.
“We have certainly been in frequent contact with our like-minded allies and partners in the region; you mentioned Japan and India,” a state department official said to reporters on background Myanmar. The official was responding to a question if the US was in touch with countries that have good relations with the Myanmar military, such as India and Japan.
“We’re having daily ongoing conversations with them and we certainly appreciate that some other countries have better contact with Burmese military than we do, so we’re continuing those conversations,” the official added.
The coup-related US restrictions were still being worked out, but the official said they will not impact humanitarian non-governmental assistance such as those meant for Rohingya refugees.
President Joe Biden had on Monday warned of “appropriate action” against the Myanmar government that could include the possible reimposition of sanctions.
“The United States removed sanctions on Burma over the past decade based on progress toward democracy. The reversal of that progress will necessitate an immediate review of our sanction laws and authorities, followed by appropriate action,” Biden said in a statement released by the White House.
The United States had removed economic sanctions on Myanmar in 2016. But many of the key figures in the Myanmar military are under restrictions for human rights violations, including those related to the Rohingya people.