Burma's Neighbours can do little for Burma

Countries neighbouring military-run Myanmar can exert only limited economic influence on the regime, Singapore’s foreign minister has said following fresh US sanctions against companies here. Foreign Minister George Yeo (photo) told his hosts at a Myanmar Buddhist temple on Saturday evening that Asian countries could only do so much.

“While we in ASEAN have limited economic leverage, we do have a certain moral influence, because Myanmar is part of the ASEAN family,” a transcript of his remarks, posted on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, said Sunday. Yeo said he visited the temple to express solidarity with the Myanmar people “during this very difficult period in their history.”

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