Russia’s foreign minister makes official visit to Myanmar

BANGKOK (AP) — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Myanmar for an official visit that Moscow says will include discussions with the military government on security and economic issues, the Russian news agency TASS reports. Russia is a major supporter of Myanmar’s military government, which came to power in February last year when it ousted the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi. Western nations have ostracized the ruling generals and maintain economic and political sanctions against them because of their takeover and violent repression of opposition. Lavrov’s visit, his first to Myanmar, comes ahead of his attendance at a meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, hosted by Cambodia this week.