EU development commissioner arrives in Myanmar

Feb 12, 2012, 8:18 GMT

Yangon - The European Union Development Commissioner arrived in Myanmar Sunday where he is expected to announce a 150-million-euro aid package to the former pariah state.

Andris Piebalgs arrived in Yangon, and planned to travel to the capital of Naypyitaw on Monday for talks with President Thein Sein and senior government officials.

He is also scheduled to meet with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Tuesday.

Piebalgs' trip is a response to several reforms that Thein Sein has initiated since coming to power in March.

The former army general and member of the junta that ruled Myanmar for two decades has taken a progressive tack since winning the November 2010 election.

He began political dialogue with Suu Kyi and paved the way for her party to contest a by-election scheduled on April 1.

Thein Sein has also freed about 600 political prisoners, although hundreds more remain, and signed ceasefires with six ethnic minority insurgencies.

'The momentum of change in Burma/Myanmar is impressive and the EU recognizes the need to do all it can to support the country at this time,' Piebalgs said in Brussels prior to his departure.

He is expected to announce an ai package to support democratic reforms in the country.

EU foreign ministers last month decided to waive visa bans on Myanmar's leaders, but sanctions remain on dozens of members of the former military regime.

The EU also bans investments in state-owned enterprises and has embargoes against arm exports to the country as well as imports of hardwood, gems and precious metal.

On April 23, EU foreign ministers will 'look at a possible new substantial reduction or even the ending of sanctions,' a diplomatic source in Brussels said.

The bloc is also planning to open an office in Yangon, where currently only the four biggest EU members - Germany, France, Britain and Italy - have embassies.

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