Observing that the recent action of the military junta against Aung San Suu Kyi is "deeply troubling",an Obama nominee for the top diplomatic assignment in East Asia,has indicated that US may toughen its stand against Myanmar as neither sanctions nor ASEAN engagement seemed to be working. There is a deep sense of disappointment in the recent steps that the junta' has taken towards Aung San Suu Kyi,said Kurt Campbell,testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in his confirmation hearing for the post of Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. "The recent events with Aung San Suu Kyi are just deeply,deeply concerning,and it makes it very difficult going forward. We are in the midst of a very sensitive review. We are looking at the situation of the trial and what the junta is considering going forward," Campbell said. Campbell said Burma is "very high" on the agenda of Secretary of State,Hillary Clinton,on the list of issues related to South east Asia,adding neither our sanctions-based approach nor ASEAN's engagement approach have worked. "So the Administration is reviewing policy options with the goal of finding more effective ways to encourage dialogue among the military,the opposition,and the ethnic nationalities,release of political prisoners,and broad-based reform," Campbell said in his written statement.
