French energy giant Total joins push for Myanmar sanctions

By LORI HINNANT
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — French energy conglomerate TotalEnergies has asked the American and French governments to support targeted sanctions against Myanmar’s oil and gas funds. The funds are the largest single source of income for the country’s military leaders. In a letter to Human Rights Watch released Thursday, the CEO of Total, Patrick Pouyanné, said the company had informed French and American authorities that it backed sanctions on the sector but otherwise had legal payment obligations for its work there. The sanctions would target the state-owned Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise, which is a joint venture partner in all offshore gas projects in Myanmar, including a major gas field that Total runs.