Washington, Aug 20 (ANI): Derek Mitchell, the American ambassador to Myanmar has said that the economic and political progress made by the country in the past year remain fragile and tenuous.
Mitchell's remarks came in the wake of continuing evidence of human-rights violations and concerns about opaque policy-making and possible military ties to North Korea.
Mitchell praised Myanmar leaders for the sweeping changes over the past year since a nominally civilian government took over from a military regime that had controlled the Southeast Asian nation for nearly five decades.
But he also pointed out that U.S. officials continue to receive credible reports of human-rights abuses in ethnic-minority areas, and its officials haven't yet put to rest long-standing worries about possible ties between the Myanmar military and North Korea, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Mitchell pointed out that Myanmar leaders vowed to become more transparent and push further changes, but a number of uncertainties, including the future role of the military, cloud the outlook.
"We still feel there is a working majority of people in the country and in the government who are committed to progress, including more openness and wider civil liberties," the paper quoted Mitchell, as saying.
"But I don't think anyone has any illusions that there are going to be lots of bumps, lots of setbacks, and not a clear path forward," he added.
Mitchell's appointment this year was part of a series of moves by U.S. officials to upgrade relations between the two nations, which tarnished in recent decades amid escalating human-rights violations and other alleged crimes in Myanmar.
The U.S. had downgraded diplomatic relations and slapped on sanctions that stopped U.S. investment in Myanmar, restricted business activities of Myanmar nationals with ties to the regime and blocked imports of Myanmar products to the U.S. (ANI)
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