Myanmar's Emergence

Alexander Nicoll and Jessica Delaney, editors of Strategic Comments, a publication of the International Institute for Security Studies state that the Myanmarese military viewed any foreign engagement through the prism of country's sovereignty and unity and that patience, flexibility and pragmatism would be required in copious quantities from the Myanmar regime, Western Governments and the Aung San Suu Kyi led opposition in the run-up towards elections in 2010. In an opinion piece, "Signs of Myanmar's emergence from diplomatic isolation" they argue that if the Myanmar regime could be provided with incentives to allow a relatively free election under its own constitution, if the opposition could see a path to greater participation, and if the US and EU adopted realistic expectations of the regime’s interpretation of democratic rule and begin lifting sanctions, the Burmese people’s prospects could improve significantly.