Photo: Bangkok Post

Myanmar’s President Thein Sein, on the first-ever visit to Brussels by a Myanmar president, received on Tuesday new pledges of EU economic assistance tied to demands that Myanmar protect its ethnic minorities. The Myanmar leader, on the fourth leg of his historic 10-day tour of Europe, met successively with European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso, EU president Herman Van Rompuy, and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton. Mr. Barroso said the EU and Myanmar are turning a page in their relationship with more dialogue, more and better aid, and more trade and investment. Over the past 2 years, EU development aid has more than doubled to around 200 million euros. Barroso says it is time to explore a bilateral investment agreement.