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WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States will immediately suspend all engagement with Myanmar under a 2013 trade and investment agreement until the return of a democratically elected government, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said on Monday.
Saturday was the bloodiest day of protests in Myanmar since the February 1 military coup with 114 people killed. Five more were killed on Monday https://www.reuters.com/article/us-myanmar-politics/thousands-take-to-the-streets-in-myanmar-as-five-more-protesters-killed-idUSKBN2BL0C2 when thousands took to the streets again in opposition to the military’s return to power after a decade.
Tai said in a statement that the killing by Myanmar security forces of peaceful protesters, students, workers, labor leaders and children “has shocked the conscience of the international community.”
“These actions are a direct assault on the country’s transition to democracy and the Burmese people’s efforts to achieve a peaceful and prosperous future,” said Tai, who took office on March 18.
In addition to suspending work on the 2013 framework agreement, Tai said the USTR would consider Myanmar’s situation while working with the US Congress to reauthorize the Generalized System of Preferences program, which reduces US tariffs. And it provides other special trade access for some developing countries.
Participation requires countries to maintain certain protections of workers’ rights, and Tai said reports that Myanmar’s military leaders have targeted unions and workers for their role in pro-democracy protests raise serious concerns. worries.
(Reporting by David Lawder; editing by Grant McCool)
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