[ad_1]
The official agenda of the Security Council, approved by its members on Monday, establishes that the closed-door session will be held by video call.
In addition, US President Joe Biden on Monday called on Myanmar troops who carried out the coup to immediately hand over power to the civilian population and ordered his administration to consider returning sanctions to the country, which arose after its transition to democracy began.
“The international community must speak with one voice, pressuring the Burmese army to immediately hand over the power it has taken,” Biden said, using the former name Myanmar.
“The United States has lifted sanctions against Burma over the past decade, citing advances in democracy,” the president said in a statement. “Reversing this progress will make it necessary to review our laws and sanctions powers immediately, and then take appropriate action.”
Myanmar’s military carried out a coup on Monday, arresting the country. de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and announced that he would declare a state of emergency for one year and take control of the country during that period.
The coups promised to hold new elections after the state of emergency and hand over power to the winning party.
The coup came a few weeks after tensions escalated between the military and civilian governments that had ruled the country for nearly five decades. The tensions arose from allegations of fraud in the November elections, which were easily won by Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD).
The previous events in Myanmar were initially considered a great success for the administration of former President Barack Obama, in which Biden served as vice president. The strategically important country appeared to be moving toward democracy and away from China’s sphere of influence. But Aung San Suu Kyi, considered an icon of democracy, has come under fire from the West for her refusal to condemn the massacre of Rohingya Muslims. In November, Aung San Suu Kyi and her party won another landslide victory in the elections.
“The United States is paying attention to the support of the people of Burma at this difficult time,” Biden said. “We will work with our partners in the region and around the world to support the restoration of democracy and the rule of law, as well as to bring in those responsible for undermining Burma’s democratic transition.”
[ad_2]
