US extends Myanmar sanctions

Washington, May 18 (IANS) The US Thursday extended trade sanctions against Myanmar for another year.

"The United States is committed to supporting (Myanmar) Burma's reform effort, but the situation continues to pose an extraordinary threat to national security," President Barack Obama said after signing the executive order.

"For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency with respect to Burma and to maintain in force the sanctions that respond to this threat," Obama said.

The Myanmar government has recently released hundreds of political prisoners and opened dialogue with the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) as part of its political reforms.

The move came as Myanmar's Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin Thursday began an official visit to the US, Xinhua reported. Washington has banned trade with Myanmar since 1997 over repression of democracy movement in that country.