Myanmar's prime minister visits Cambodia to garner support against sanctions
Thursday, November 29, 2007
The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Myanmar's prime minister visited Cambodia on Friday, a day after the host country assured its neighbor that it would not support sanctions against the military junta as punishment for its recent crackdown.
Hundreds of school children and civil servants were part of the welcoming committee at Phnom Penh's airport, where Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Thein Sein was greeted by his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Sen.
Thein Sein's visit to Cambodia overlaps with a two-day trip by the U.N.'s special envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari.
Officials have said the timing of the two visits was coincidental.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told Gambari during a meeting Thursday that Myanmar's ruling junta should be given incentives instead of being slapped with sanctions to find a democratic solution to its political crisis.
"We should not talk about sanctions, but we'd better talk about how to take the momentum forward and prevent the situation from sliding backward," Hor Namhong told reporters.
Gambari has been allowed to visit Myanmar twice since the military's violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in September. He said he had a frank discussion with the foreign minister, but did not elaborate.
The U.N. envoy visited Vietnam earlier this week and is scheduled to travel to Laos after leaving Cambodia.
Myanmar sparked global outrage in September when the country's ruling junta crushed protests led by Buddhist monks, killing at least 15 people. Nearly 3,000 were arrested, though the military insists most have been released.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: Myanmar's prime minister visited Cambodia on Friday, a day after the host country assured its neighbor that it would not support sanctions against the military junta as punishment for its recent crackdown.
Hundreds of school children and civil servants were part of the welcoming committee at Phnom Penh's airport, where Prime Minister Lt. Gen. Thein Sein was greeted by his Cambodian counterpart, Hun Sen.
Thein Sein's visit to Cambodia overlaps with a two-day trip by the U.N.'s special envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari.
Officials have said the timing of the two visits was coincidental.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told Gambari during a meeting Thursday that Myanmar's ruling junta should be given incentives instead of being slapped with sanctions to find a democratic solution to its political crisis.
"We should not talk about sanctions, but we'd better talk about how to take the momentum forward and prevent the situation from sliding backward," Hor Namhong told reporters.
Gambari has been allowed to visit Myanmar twice since the military's violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in September. He said he had a frank discussion with the foreign minister, but did not elaborate.
The U.N. envoy visited Vietnam earlier this week and is scheduled to travel to Laos after leaving Cambodia.
Myanmar sparked global outrage in September when the country's ruling junta crushed protests led by Buddhist monks, killing at least 15 people. Nearly 3,000 were arrested, though the military insists most have been released.
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