A U.S. Navy vessel has made the first official port of call to Myanmar, formerly Burma, in seven decades, U.S. officials said Tuesday.
The expeditionary fast transport ship USNS Fall River docked in the Myanmar capital of Yangon Tuesday for a four-day “goodwill visit” designed to “enhance friendship and cultural exchange between U.S. service members and the people of Myanmar,” the Navy said.
It’s the first such port of call since the World War II era, U.S. said.
The port of call comes as the new civilian-dominated government of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is opening up to the world after a long period of isolation and military rule. The U.S., China and India are among the powers trying to cultivate relations with the new government.
The Fall River crew will conduct exercises with the Myanmar navy and also take tours of the capital. The U.S. 7th Fleet ban will also perform at the U.S. Embassy American Center.
“We are honored to sail the USNS Fall River and the international Pacific Partnership mission of friendship and disaster preparedness into Yangon as guests of the people of Myanmar,” said Rear Adm. Don Gabrielson, commander to the U.S. Navy’s Task Force 73 in a statement.
The Fall River stopped in Myanmar between stops in Sri Lanka and Malaysia as part of the annual Pacific Partnership mission, which promotes regional coordination in humanitarian and disaster response operations, the Navy said.
• David R. Sands can be reached at dsands@washingtontimes.com.
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