THE US:US president George W Bush announced new sanctions against Burma's military junta yesterday, as developments in the southeast Asian country dominated the opening of the UN General Assembly, writes Mary Fitzgerald, Foreign Affairs Correspondent, in New York.
News of growing anti-regime protests in Rangoon pushed issues such as climate change and Iran's nuclear programme down the agenda at the UN on the first day of its annual debate.
In his address to the general assembly, Mr Bush said the US would tighten economic sanctions on Burma's military rulers and their financial backers, and impose an expanded visa ban "on those most responsible for the egregious violations of human rights". He said the new sanctions were intended "to help bring peaceful change to Burma".
He accused the military junta of masterminding a "19-year reign of fear", in which freedom of speech, assembly and worship were severely restricted.
"Ethnic minorities are persecuted. Forced child labour, human trafficking and rape are common," he added, declaring that Americans were "outraged" by the regime's abuses.
Mr Bush called on other states "to use their diplomatic and economic leverage to help the Burmese people reclaim their freedom". UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon had earlier told the assembled heads of state that the world was closely watching developments in Burma.
"We again urge the authorities in Myanmar [ Burma] to exercise utmost restraint, to engage without delay in dialogue with all the relevant parties to the national reconciliation process on the issues of concern to the people of Myanmar," Mr Ban said.
The UN Security Council has been divided about the situation in Burma. In January, China and Russia vetoed a resolution calling for the junta to stop persecuting opposition groups and begin moves towards democracy.