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Bush Unloads on Burmese Junta

Prez announces new sanctions, visa ban at UN

By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 25, 2007 1:40 PM CDT

(Newser) – President Bush told the UN General Assembly today that the US will tighten economic sanctions on Burma and impose a travel ban on its military junta leaders. The US has long maintained an embargo against the country, which is now in its eighth day of anti-junta protests. “The people’s desire to freedom is unmistakable,” Bush said.

In a talk that skirted the Middle East entirely, Bush urged other countries to take similar actions to help the Burmese people "reclaim their freedom," the Times reports. He accused the junta of “holding more than a thousand political prisoners,” including democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and touched on the human rights situations in Zimbabwe, Cuba, and Sudan.

President Bush, foreground, sits in his seat as U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, upper left, and General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim applaud during the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters, Tuesday Sept. 25, 2007.  (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
President Bush, foreground, sits in his seat as U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, upper left, and General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim applaud during the 62nd session of the United Nations General...   (Associated Press)
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, second from right and U.N. General Assembly president, Srgjan Kerim of Macedonia, right, speak to President Bush after he addressed the 62nd session of the General Assembly, Tuesday Sept. 25, 2007, at U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Ed Betz)
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, second from right and U.N. General Assembly president, Srgjan Kerim of Macedonia, right, speak to President Bush after he addressed the 62nd session of the...   (Associated Press)
President Bush addresses the United Nations General Assembly session at the United Nations headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2007. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
President Bush addresses the United Nations General Assembly session at the United Nations headquarters, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2007. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)   (Associated Press)
U.S. President Bush addresses the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2007, at the U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)
U.S. President Bush addresses the 62nd session of the United Nations General Assembly, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2007, at the U.N. headquarters. (AP Photo/Henny Ray Abrams)   (Associated Press)
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