Exclusive-Myanmar junta minister blames economic woes partly on foreign-backed 'sabotage'

FILE PHOTO: Workers count Myanmar's kyat banknotes at the office of a local bank in Yangon April 2, 2012. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun/

(Reuters) -Myanmar's military-appointed authorities are doing their best to revive an economy in turmoil since a February coup and stabilise the kyat currency, a minister told Reuters on Tuesday, blaming the crisis partly on foreign backers of its opponents.

The currency lost more than 60% of its value in September after the Southeast Asian nation was roiled by months of protests, strikes and economic paralysis following the coup.