Senate

McConnell: Put breaks on Myanmar perks until elections

by Jordain Carney - 07/09/15 11:10 AM ET

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) suggested Thursday that the Obama administration should hold off on giving trade perks to Myanmar, also known as Burma, until after the country’s election this fall.

“In light of the recent defeat of constitutional reform, I believe that steps such as including Burma in the generalized system of preferences program should be put on hold until after this fall’s election,” the Republican leader said.

{mosads}The preferences program is meant to help bolster poorer countries’ economies.

McConnell added that only after the election in Myanmar “can an appropriate evaluation be made about the pace of reform in the country and whether additional normalization of relations is warranted.”

Last month, the country’s parliament blocked changes to the country’s constitution that would have opened up the country’s political process, including getting rid of the military’s veto power.

It also maintained a ban on opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s ability to become president.

McConnell called the moves a “missed opportunity.”

But the Republican leader acknowledged that “we knew that legal, economic, political and constitutional development and reform would evolve in that country through fits and starts. This is only realistic given the baseline from which Burma was starting when Congress agreed to lift some of the sanctions.”

Tags Mitch McConnell