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US President Joe Biden says “the international community should come together with one voice to pressure the military in Myanmar to leave power immediately,” amid European calls for the release of government detainees.
After the Myanmar military seized power and arrested political leaders in the government following their accusations of rigging the recent elections, several world leaders issued statements condemning the coup, calling for a peaceful resolution of differences.
Today, Monday, the army said that “free and fair” elections would be held and that it would hand over power to the winning party, committing itself to practicing with justice the system of “true pluralist democracy.”
The army did not set a date for the elections, but said earlier that the state of emergency it imposed would last for a year.
The following are the most prominent international positions and comments on the coup:
– U.S
US President Joe Biden said in a statement that “the international community must come together with one voice to pressure the military in Myanmar to immediately step down from power.”
Biden added that the United States will work with partners throughout the region and the world “to support the restoration of democracy and the rule of law, in addition to holding those responsible at the heart of democratic transformation accountable.”
The statement noted that the US authorities lifted sanctions on Myanmar over the past decade “on the basis of progress towards democracy”, but after the coup, “the criminal laws will be immediately reviewed and we will take appropriate measures.”
For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken called on the Burmese army to “release all government officials, as well as civil society leaders, and respect the will of the Burmese people, who expressed during the elections Democrats of November 8 “.
Washington, like other Western countries, urged the military on January 29 to “respect democratic standards.”
– China
Beijing called on all parties in Burma to “resolve differences” after the army seized power and arrested leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
“China is a friendly neighbor of Burma and hopes that the various parties in Burma will resolve their differences within the constitutional and legal framework to protect political and social stability,” said a spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Wang Weinbin, in a Press conference. .
– Russia
“We hope for a peaceful solution to the situation, in accordance with the applicable law, resuming political dialogue and preserving the sustainable social and economic development of the country,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement, taking into account the intention of the military authorities to organize elections within a year.
– The European Union
The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, “strongly” condemned the coup and called for the release of “all those illegally detained.”
“I strongly condemn the coup in Burma and call on the army to release all those illegally arrested during raids across the country. The election results must be respected and the democratic process must be restored,” Michel wrote in a tweet.
For his part, the Chancellor of the European Union, Josep Borrell, said in a tweet that “the people of Burma want democracy. The European Union is with them.”
– France
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian denounced “unacceptable skepticism about the democratic process”, calling for the “immediate and unconditional release” of Aung San Suu Kyi and all detained political leaders, and “respect for the electoral results “.
Government spokesman Gabriel Atal said that Paris “is discussing with its partners in the framework of international organizations” the situation in Burma.
– Germany
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas “strongly” condemned the coup and arrests in Burma, and called on “the military to immediately release the detained members of the government and parliament” and to recognize the results of the elections.
– Brittany
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson condemned the coup and the “illegal” detention of Aung San Suu Kyi.
“I condemn the coup and the illegal imprisonment of civilians, including Aung San Suu Kyi, in Burma. The vote of the people must be respected and civilian leaders must be released,” Johnson wrote in a tweet.
Turkey
The Turkish government, which in turn was the target of the attempted coup in 2016, condemned “the Burmese army forcefully to regain control of the government” and desired “the immediate release of the detained leaders, political officials and debtors,” according to the Ministry of Foreign Relations. .
The government expressed hope that this development will not “aggravate the situation of Rohingya Muslims living in difficult conditions in Burma.”
Bangladesh
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, a country that hosts hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who fled Burma, stated that “as a neighbor and friend of Burma, we would like to see peace and stability”, adding that it hopes “the Democratic Mechanisms and Constitutional Provisions in Burma “.
– India
“We have watched the events in Burma with deep concern. India has always provided continuous support for Burma’s democratic transition. We believe that the rule of law and the democratic mechanism should be respected,” the Indian Foreign Ministry said.
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