Myanmar crisis: US urges India, China to do more

WASHINGTON: Expressing serious concerns over "continued reports of violence and intimidation" in Myanmar, the US has urged influential countries like India and China to do more to "support the cause of freedom" of the Burmese people and pressure the country's military regime into ushering in reform.

"There are continued reports of violence and intimidation coming out of Burma (Myanmar). That is of great concern to the president and Mrs Bush," White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said in a briefing.

"The US is committed to working with countries around the world, and especially those in the region, to move Burma to a peaceful transition to democracy," she said.

Perino also said it was important for UN envoy Ibrahim Gambhari to meet the top junta leader, General Than Shwe. "We think it is important that they meet and that a process of national reconciliation begin," she said.

At the State Department, deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said the US "specifically called on India, China and the ASEAN countries to do more to support the cause of political dialogue and of freedom for the people of Burma".

"....we certainly would like to see those countries use the influence that they have because of their political relations, as well as their commercial and economic relations with Burma to put pressure on the regime to make those changes actually occur," he said.

On being asked what kind of actions the US expected India and China to take to pressure Myanmar, Casey said: "I'm not trying to dictate to any of those governments how they should develop their national policies. But what we want to see is -- see them take serious and concrete actions to push the Burmese Government in the right direction".

Casey said it was "very clear" India and China have an influence over Yangon, that "they can have more of an impact if they choose to do so."

He, however, admitted that Myanmar's neighbours were starting to "do more" in response to the crisis, citing the "strong" statement by the ASEAN countries with regard to the need for Burma to open up a political dialogue with the opposition, and China's efforts to ensure that the UN envoy was allowed into the country and meet the people he wanted to see.

"United States by itself is not going to be able to force the Burmese Government to change its ways. That's why we want to see these other countries, many of whom do have close relations with Burma or are neighbours of Burma, use their influence as well because that's the most effective way to see change occur," the spokesman said.