United States oil and gas companies are ready to begin making
investments in Myanmar, Republican Senator Jim Inhofe declared last week
following a meeting with President U Thein Sein in Nay Pyi Taw.
Senator Inhofe, a ranking member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, met the president on January 9.
“I appreciate the reforms President [U Thein] Sein is making in his country,” Senator Inhofe said.
“I
commend him and the people of Myanmar for taking these important steps
toward a democratic future, and I will look for ways the US can assist
with those reforms. I told President [U Thein] Sein that I believe US
companies, especially those in the oil and gas sectors, can play a
positive role in demonstrating high standards of responsible business
conduct and encourage free market policies, while at the same time
protect human rights in this rich land.”
Senator Inhofe was
joined by a Republican delegation that included Senator John Boozman of
Arkansas and congressmen Steve Pearce of New Mexico, Vern Buchanan of
Florida and Erik Paulsen of Minnesota, as well as US Ambassador to
Myanmar Derek Mitchell.
Senator Inhofe has been a vocal advocate of US oil and gas interests in Myanmar since the government launched its reform agenda.
“I
am very interested in the ability of our American oil and gas industry
to compete for business in Burma as soon as possible,” Senator Inhofe
said in prepared remarks to a senate confirmation hearing for Mr
Mitchell on June 27 in Washington.
“Unfortunately, that is not
yet happening, and in the meantime, European Union oil and gas companies
have been there since the suspension of EU sanctions against Burma in
April. And of course, China and Russia are there.”
A longtime
champion of fossil fuels and the fossil fuel industry, Senator Inhofe
feared at the time that US President Barack Obama would block energy
firms from investing in Myanmar when he began to ease sanctions. He
described this possible exclusion of energy firms as a “carve out”
strategy.
“I reiterate that this or any other carve out strategy
would be a strategic mistake. I believe that US companies, including the
oil and gas companies, can play a positive role in the effort by
demonstrating high standards of responsible,” he said at the hearing.
The
“carve out” Senator Inhofe warned against was avoided. In July,
President Obama announced all US oil and gas corporations would be
allowed to conduct activities in Myanmar, ending 15 years of US
restriction on the sector.
source: The Myanmar Times
http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/business/3745-us-senator-pushes-oil-and-gas-sector-with-u-thein-sein.html
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