US to ease import ban on Myanmar, Clinton tells Thein Sein

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told Myanmar President Thein Sein on Wednesday that the United States would take steps to ease the US ban on imports from the country, a major boon to the Southeast Asian nation as it emerges from years of political and economic isolation.

“In recognition of the continued progress towards reform and in response to requests from both the government and the opposition, the United States is taking the next step in normalising our commercial relationship,” Clinton told Thein Sein in a meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

“We will begin the process of easing restrictions on imports of Burmese goods into the United States. We hope this will provide more opportunities for your people to sell their goods into our market,” Clinton said.

Clinton’s announcement marks a further step in the US rapprochement with Myanmar, which offers economic and strategic benefits to both sides.

“We now have diplomatic relations at the ambassador level and the people of Myanmar are very pleased with the easing of economic sanctions by the United States,” Thein Sein said at the meeting, which took place at a New York hotel.

“We are very grateful for the actions of the United States,” he said.