Suu Kyi criticises govt for hiring US lobbyist

In her interview with the Radio Free Asia (RFA) on April 22, she said that if the government served the interests of its citizens, it did not need to hire any group to lobby the United States government and international organisations.
“I’m interested to know the reason behind it. The government said they hired the group to lobby for them. To lobby for what? The government’s responsibility is to serve the interests of its citizens. If they fulfill this duty, why bother to hire such group?’’
Suu Kyi said that the government was not consistent in dealing with the US. In the past there was a motto of military regime: ‘Those who rely on external elements are like stooges’. Anyone or any organisation is allowed to do such a thing. It is a thing that should not be done.
The contract signed at the Myanmar Embassy in the US will last for 12 months. Each quarter, the country will pay the firm US$210,000 - a relatively minor sum, according to The Hill news website.
Myanmar and the US established diplomatic relations in 1947. But in 1990, the US reduced their diplomatic role in Myanmar as the military government declined to transfer its power to the NLD party that won the 1990 general election and later the US halted assistance to Myanmar and imposed economic sanctions.
However, in 2009, the ties improved after the US changed its policies towards Myanmar when President Barrack Obama came to power. Later, Obama paid a visit to Myanmar twice - in 2012 and 2014.
On April 23, the US removed a prominent businessman from its Myanmar sanctions list, in spite of doubts about reforms in the Southeast Asian country.
 Win Aung, the head of Myanmar's chamber of commerce whose Dagon International construction firm won contracts to help build the country's nine-year-old capital of Nay Pyi Taw, was removed from the Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list, the US State Department said in a statement.
 Two of Win Aung's businesses were also removed from the US Treasury Department list, the statement said, adding that decisions to remove individuals were based on actions taken by the sanctioned people or enterprises.
 The statement provided no details on why Win Aung was removed from the list. He was placed on it for his financial support of the military government that was replaced by a semi-civilian administration in 2011.
 According to confidential US diplomatic cables published by Wikileaks, Win Aung allegedly exported timber to China from protected areas after winning contracts because of his military ties.
The State Department said the US sanctions architecture remained in place, and said any changes would depend on the government continuing with political and economic reforms and resolving disputes with members of ethnic groups.