THERE is a Myanmar proverb that says, “Don’t let a wet hand dry, and don’t let a dry hand get wet.” This proverb is highly relevant to diplomacy. In dealing with the international community, everyone must always strive to establish lasting and friendly relations with all, looking toward the future with mutual trust and goodwill.

One must always remember and be grateful for the kindness once shown by another. By nature, when there is a group larger than one individual, differences in thoughts and opinions are inevitable. When such differences arise, unexpected minor issues should be resolved easily based on friendship and goodwill, and this should be regarded with pride as a success of genuine friendship. This is an important principle that everyone involved in international re­lations must uphold. Efforts should always focus on strengthening friendships by never forgetting the valuable cooperation that friends have extended in the past.

The Ambassador of the European Union to Myanmar expressed his remarks in the Handbook “The Guidance on the EU Generalized Scheme of Preferences and its Rules of Origin: For Government Au­thorities and Private Sector Stakeholders in Myanmar”, issued in 2017. He said that few countries in the world are blessed with such potential: an abundance of resources below and above ground, a strategic location, a resourceful popu­lation and plenty of goodwill from the international commu­nity. Myanmar has the poten­tial to become a major player in its region.

He continued that as part­ners in Myanmar’s transition, the EU is doing its share in many ways, also on trade pol­icy: since 2013, Myanmar ex­porters can take full advantage of preferential market access to the EU deriving from the EU Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP), the most generous unilateral trade preferential system the EU can offer to its partners.

Till today, Myanmar’s garment, apparel and foodstuff products benefit from the EU GSP’s Everything But Arms (EBA) arrange­ment, which grants duty-free, quota-free access to the EU market. Garment production in Myanmar is primarily through the CMP process; however, the EU closely monitors Myanmar’s adherence to fundamental human and labour rights, which are conditions for GSP benefits.

Thanks to GSP’s EBA of the European Union, Myanmar’s employees, especially in the garment and foodstuff processing in­dustries, can improve their socioeconomic life. Enhancing friendship between the government of Myanmar and the EU helps Myanmar’s employees and industries improve their livelihoods. As such, it is necessary to maintain good relations between both Myanmar and the EU for the sake of the public interests.