New Zealand suspends ties with Myanmar
New Zealand is going to be suspending all high-level connection with Myanmar and imposing a travel and leisure ban on its armed service leaders following previous week's coup, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in Tuesday.
New Zealand may also ensure its aid programme will not include assignments that are delivered with, or benefit, the military federal government, Ardern told a news conference.
"Our strong communication is we will do what we are able to from within New Zealand and one of things we can do is suspend that advanced dialogue...and make certain any funding we placed into Myanmar does not at all support the military regime," Ardern said.
New Zealand's aid program was worth about NZ$42 million ($30 million) between 2018 and 2021, she said.
New Zealand will not recognise the legitimacy of the military-led authorities and called on the armed service to immediately release all detained political leaders and restore civilian guideline, Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said in a separate statement.
Mahuta said the federal government has also agreed to implement a travel ban, to come to be formalised in the coming week, on Myanmar’s military leaders.
Myanmar's military innovator has vowed to hold a new election and hand power to the winner, wanting to calm installation protests against the coup that overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's civilian authorities.
