8 February 2011, BBC
The party of veteran Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has said it wishes to discuss how international sanctions might be eased.
The National League for Democracy (NLD) said it was seeking meetings with Western nations on how sanctions on the country might be "modified".
Responsible investment guidelines could ease economic hardship, it argued.
Western states led by the US and EU have maintained sanctions in response to the Burmese junta's abuses.
Ms Suu Kyi's release from house arrest in November after Burma's first election in 20 years rekindled debate over the effectiveness of the measures.
She herself has called for greater foreign investment in her country, which she says has been "left behind".
"The NLD calls for discussions with the United States, the European Union, Canada and Australia with a view to reaching agreement on when, how and under what circumstances sanctions might be modified in the interests of democracy, human rights and a healthy economic environment," the NLD said in a statement.
The November election, which was widely criticised by Western nations and the Burmese pro-democracy opposition, has left the military and its proxies firmly in control of the new parliament.
The NLD, which won the last elections in 1990 but was never allowed to take power, is not represented in parliament.
It disbanded ahead of the November election because of election laws that would have forced it to expel its leaders.
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