US gems association eyes trade ties as sanctions end
The American Gem Trade Association arrived in Myanmar for the first time this week to assess the gems sector and build trade relationships ahead of an anticipated end to the US sanctions regime, which would allow the legal import of Myanmar rubies and jade. The association’s president, Jeffrey Bilgore, said the mission had been planned before US President Barack Obama’s announcement on September 14 that the US would lift all remaining financial and trade sanctions against Myanmar. But the fact that a commitment to remove sanctions had been made in advance of the association delegation’s arrival “removes the appearance of crafting a report to meet that goal”, the AGTA said in a release on September 29. “The efforts are to show what the reality is on the ground in the gem sector,” the statement said. Once the sanctions are lifted, the US can technically start importing gemstones right away, said Mr Bilgore. “However, it’s going to be a bit of a process in terms of the supply chain, and that’s something we’re here to look at and help develop,” he told The Myanmar Times.
