Asean for lifting Myanmar sanctions

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) yesterday called for western nations to lift sanctions against Myanmar following much-lauded signs of change in the army-dominated nation.
Strict sanctions on Myanmar, enforced notably by the United States and the European Union in response to human rights abuses and for failing to free all political prisoners, have long left the country isolated.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, whose country has just taken over the rotating chairmanship of the 10-nation regional bloc, said democratic reform in Myanmar was moving forward.