WASHINGTON, June 26: Washington is preparing new sanctions against Myanmar that would freeze personal assets of members of its ruling military junta and ban remittances from its nationals working in the United States, a senior administration official said.

The proposed measures, announced on Wednesday by US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, are part of efforts by the administration of President George Bush to step up pressure on Myanmar’s ruling junta and bring about the release of jailed pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

“We are preparing an executive order for the president to freeze the assets of (junta) members, and ban remittances to Burma from the United States,” Kelly told members of the House Subcommittee on East Asia and the Pacific. “We are supportive of legislation that would place restrictions on travel-related transactions.”

He did not elaborate, and White House and State Department officials were unable to say when the order will be signed.

Members of Myanmar’s military regime insist Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, was put under temporary “protective custody” at an undisclosed location after May 30 clashes, which broke out when she and her supporters toured northern regions.

According to British officials, she is being held at the Insein prison complex on the outskirts of Yangon, the capital.

But Kelly said the junta’s claim that the pro-democracy caravan had provoked the incident was “nonsense.”

He insisted Suu Kyi had fallen victim of “a premeditated attack” that was launched on her by “government-affiliated thugs” and left many injured and some dead.

Kelly said the US government was appalled by reports that Suu Kyi was being detained without access to visitors.

“We again call for her immediate release and that of the leadership of her party, the National League for Democracy,” he stated. “We call for the formulation of a concrete plan to restore democracy in Burma.”

The upcoming measures seek to build on sanctions already in effect, or are expected to be enacted against Myanmar soon, according to administration officials.

The State Department has already slapped new restrictions on visas issued to officials from the Southeast Asian nation, and Congress is about to follow suit.

Earlier this month, the US Senate passed a bill that bans import of goods manufactured both in Myanmar and by offshore companies owned by the junta.

It also calls from freezing Myanmar government assets in the United States, requires Washington to oppose loans for Myanmar in international financial institutions, coordinate its visa ban with the European Union, and offer greater support for local democracy activists.

In a letter to Secretary of State Colin Powell last week, Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, a sponsor of the bill, urged Powell to further downgrade diplomatic relations with Myanmar by sending its ambassador back to Yangon and not allowing him back until Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners were free.

McConnell also said the administration must persuade Asian countries to join the United States in this campaign.

“Bidding for despots is never a safe bet, and I would encourage those countries — including Japan, India, Malaysia, China, and Thailand — to rethink the dangers inherent to cooperating with an illegitimate regime,” he said.

The message was echoed by Assistant US Trade Representative Ralph Ives, who called on members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations “to act decisively to address the problems in (Myanmar) that affect the region.”

A companion bill targeting Myanmar has been introduced in the House of Representatives.

Kelly said the administration would support efforts to restrict imports from Myanmar as long as the president was given the authority to waive the ban at the time of his choosing. —AFP