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US business groups protest penalties against Myanmar
Washington, June 13: US business groups have expressed unhappiness over economic penalties against Myanmar following the junta`s arrest of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Washington, June 13: US business groups have expressed unhappiness over economic penalties against Myanmar following the junta's arrest of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Protesting that the sanctions violate WTO rules, they said the penalties accomplish little in the absence of cooperation from other countries.
They also pointed out that the sanctions contravene longstanding rules to change the behaviour of dictatorial regimes by "engagement".
However, William A Reinsch, president of the National Foreign Trade Council, a corporate-backed organization opposed to the sanctions, said in the face of public opinion and administration support for sanctions, business can do little to oppose them.
"When the train is moving 400 miles an hour," he said, "not a whole lot of people want to stand on the tracks."
The Senate approved 97-1 sanctions which would ban US imports of goods from Myanmar.
Bureau Report
They also pointed out that the sanctions contravene longstanding rules to change the behaviour of dictatorial regimes by "engagement".
However, William A Reinsch, president of the National Foreign Trade Council, a corporate-backed organization opposed to the sanctions, said in the face of public opinion and administration support for sanctions, business can do little to oppose them.
"When the train is moving 400 miles an hour," he said, "not a whole lot of people want to stand on the tracks."
The Senate approved 97-1 sanctions which would ban US imports of goods from Myanmar.
Bureau Report