Obama ends US economic sanctions on Burma

Barack Obama has lifted US economic sanctions on the former pariah state of Burma.

The White House said the US president signed an executive order lifting the sanctions on Friday.

He had announced plans to do so last month, when Burma's new civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, visited the Oval Office.

Mr Obama's move marks the culmination of years of rapprochement between the US and Burma which the outgoing US leader has worked to facilitate.

The south-east Asian nation has pursued political reforms over the last five years following decades of oppressive military rule.

The US has already eased broad economic sanctions on Burma, including prohibitions on investment and trade.

But the US had retained more targeted restrictions on military-owned companies as well as officials and associates of the former ruling junta.