Myanmar President U Thein Sein has vowed to make comprehensive
cooperation with the European Union (EU) following the latter’s total
lifting of sanctions on his country, Xinhua News Agency reported.
Meeting with an EU delegation led by Ambassador David Lipman in Nay
Pyi Taw on July 30-31, U Thein Sein spoke highly of the International
Labour Organisation (ILO)’s relaxation, reinstatement of Generalized
System of Preference (GPS) and the opening of an EU office in Myanmar. He also called for EU investment in the country.
Lipman said the EU has laid down comprehensive approach and
constructive framework for Myanmar’s reform, adding that an EU
delegation comprising the task group leaders and eminent entrepreneurs
will visit Myanmar in November.
Following the
union’s total removal of sanctions on Myanmar in April, Myanmar
and the EU held the first ever forum in Nay Pyi Taw in June, a mechanism
used to advance bilateral relations.
Relations
between Myanmar and the EU have improved following the visit by
President of the European Commission Jose Manuel Barroso and the
successive opening of embassies in Myanmar of three European
countries, namely Switzerland, Norway and Denmark in November
2012.
According to official figures, the EU’s
investment in Myanmar amounted to about 3.8 billion USD as of
February 2013. Two-way trade between them exceeded 226 million USD in
2012 of which Myanmar’s export to the EU was only more than 43 million
USD.-VNA