Myanmar Leader Urges EU to Lift Sanctions

Myanmar President Thein Sein appealed Monday for the lifting of European Union sanctions against his country, currently suspended.

"What we lack is capital and modern technologies... all these are because of the economic sanctions for the last 20 years," he told journalists following talks with Austrian President Heinz Fischer.

Thein Sein, speaking through an interpreter, also appealed directly to his Austrian counterpart "to cooperate on this," during a joint press conference on the third leg of his first European visit as president.

The EU suspended last April all sanctions against Myanmar, apart from an arms embargo, in the wake of reforms introduced by Thein Sein's government since coming to power in early 2011.

The United States has also dismantled many of its key trade and investment sanctions, while the World Bank and International Monetary Fund have stepped up assistance for the once pariah state.

But concerns remain over an ongoing conflict in the northern state of Kachin and communal Buddhist-Muslim unrest in the western state of Rakhine.

Following a new round of peace talks last month with Kachin rebels, Thein Sein claimed the unrest was over.

"There's no more hostilities, no more fighting all over the country, we have been able to end this kind of armed conflict," he insisted.

Praising the reforms implemented by Myanmar, Fischer noted Monday that: "The Austrian government belongs to those countries, which after all the progress that has been reached, are in favor of lifting these (EU) sanctions."

But he urged Myanmar to stick to the democratic process that has now been started.

"It is our hope that the policy can be continued and that good and fair elections in 2015 will decide about the future way of Myanmar," said Fischer.

Thein Sein was also to meet with Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann on Monday as part of his 10-day trip to Europe, which kicked off on February 26.

After Norway, Finland and Austria, the Myanmar leader will head to Brussels for EU and bilateral talks, followed by Italy.