The United States welcomes Myanmar's release a US citizen and other prisoners but believes it is "too soon" to conclude that the junta's intentions have changed, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th November, 2022) The United States welcomes Myanmar's release a US citizen and other prisoners but believes it is "too soon" to conclude that the junta's intentions have changed, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Thursday.
"We welcome the release of US citizen Kyaw Htay Oo from prison in Burma, where he was wrongfully detained for more than 14 months. We extend our deep appreciation to our allies and partners who joined us in pressing Burma's military regime to release him. We also welcome the release of a number of political prisoners and other foreign detainees and continue to call for the release of the many thousands of political prisoners who remain in Burma," Blinken said in a press release.
But during a press conference in Bangkok at the conclusion of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation ministerial, Blinken said the prisoner release did not necessarily indicate that Myanmar was ready to engage in dialogue with the US.
It is "too soon to say whether Myanmar prisoner release signals anything about the intentions of junta," Blinken said.
Myanmar's state media reported on Thursday that the country would grant amnesty to 6,000 prisoners, including Australian economist Sean Turnell, former British envoy Vicky Bowman and Japanese journalist Toru Kubotaformer adviser to democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi, a 1991 Nobel Peace prize laureate, served as state counselor of Myanmar, equivalent to a prime minister, until February 2021, when the country's military overthrew her government and put her, along with then-President Win Myint, under house arrest. The military coup triggered a wave of civil protests, and more than 1,180 people have died in clashes with law enforcement.
