US says Kerry broke no sanctions at Myanmar hotel

 

Myanmar, the host of talks this week among Southeast Asian foreign ministers in its showcase capital Nay Pyi Taw, put up Kerry and his entourage at the Lake Garden hotel, which is owned by tycoon Zaw Zaw's Max Myanmar Group.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said that Kerry was assigned the hotel by Myanmar's foreign ministry and that, while Zaw Zaw himself was blacklisted, US law does not prohibit Americans from staying at accommodations owned by sanctioned companies.

"You can stay at this hotel no matter who you are, you just can't do business with it. So if you wanted to sell them towels, you could not do that. But you could stay there," Harf explained.

Harf insisted that the choice of hotel did not conflict with the US push for Myanmar to do more on human rights.

"When the secretary of state and President [Barack] Obama sit in Burma with Burmese leaders directly to their face and say, you need to do more to reform, I think that makes the case much more clearly than where the secretary sleeps," she said.

US relations with Myanmar have warmed dramatically since the former military dictatorship embarked on democratic reforms several years ago. 

The United States has lifted most sanctions but keeps in place restrictions aimed at elements of the powerful army. Zaw Zaw is considered well-connected with the military, which abruptly moved the national capital out of Myanmar's largest city Yangon in 2005 and built the new city.

In Myanmar last weekend to attend Asean foreign ministers meeting, Kerry delivered the widely-expected message to the government.

In his speech at a press conference on August 10, he noted that next year’s elections will be the “benchmark” moment for determining the direction Myanmar is heading.  

“Next year election will absolutely be a benchmark moment for the whole world to be able to assess the direction that Burma is moving in. And it is important – in fact, beyond important – that that election be inclusive, accountable, open, free, fair, accessible to all, that it wind up being a credible election that leads to the peaceful transfer of power in 2016,” he said.

Kerry praised the progress on reforms but noted that a lot of work is to be done.

Referring to his discussion with Myanmar leaders, he said that they acknowledged that and indicated willingness and readiness to continue to do that in order to ensure the full promise of human rights and of justice and of democracy in this country. 

“Among issues that need to be improved are ending the decades-long, multiple array of civil wars involving more than a dozen groups. And they need also to expand the space for civil society, protect the media, address land rights, prevent inter-communal violence, and enshrine into their laws basic freedoms. What is interesting is that some of the freedoms that people enjoy today, because the government has made a decision to permit it, are not exactly yet enshrined in the law themselves, and it is obviously vital that that occur,” he said.

“The serious crisis in Rakhine State and elsewhere, profound development challenges to raise the country’s standard of living, ethnic and religious violence that still exists, fundamental questions regarding constitutional reform, and of course the role of the military – all of these remain significant challenges of the road ahead,” Kerry said.

During his August 9-11 visit, Kerry met a number of leaders including President Thein Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

He said that he had candid discussion with Thein Sein and talk directly about each of these challenges, adding optimism that more reforms would be carried out. 

“Myanmar’s potential is limitless, and it’s blessed by a rich diversity of people and by an abundant source of natural resources. But it’s ultimately up to the leaders to make the right choices in the days, months, and years ahead. If they do and if people in Myanmar can overcome the differences that exist between them, if they can join together in common purpose, then Myanmar can complete the transition to democracy. And the United States will absolutely remain a partner in the effort to help Myanmar be able to do that.”