Myanmar opposition leader hails US engagement

Dec 2, 2011, 8:47 GMT

Yangon - Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday welcomed US engagement with her once-pariah country after meeting with visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

'It is through engagement that we hope to promote the process of democratization,' Suu Kyi said after Friday's two-hour discussion.

She also praised US President Barack Obama for following a 'careful and calibrated' approach to engagement with Myanmar's pro-military government, which has in recent months shown flickers of reform.

'I've come here because we believe that the reforms raise prospects for change and I wanted to test them for ourselves,' Clinton told a press conference Friday afternoon.

She made clear that despite the glimmers of reform, the US was not likely to lift economic sanctions on the country until more steps are taken.

The expected steps include the release of all political prisoners, halting hostilities with ethnic minority groups, broadening the space for political and civil activities, and pushing through legislation that protects freedom of assembly, speech and association, Clinton said.

Myanmar held its first election in two decades a year ago. Its President Thein Sein in August initiated talks with Suu Kyi, who has spent 15 of the past 21 years under house arrest, and has paved the way for her National League for Democracy (NLD) party to re-enter politics and contest an upcoming by-election.

Clinton, the first secretary of state to visit in 56 years, met with President Thein Sein Thursday in what Myanmar's leader hailed as a historic trip.

The South-East Asian country has been subject to US sanctions for more than two decades because of its poor human rights record and failure to implement democratic reforms.

'Our support will increase as we see actions taken,' Clinton said. 'If there is enough progress, obviously we will be considering lifting sanctions but we are still at the early stages of dialogue and engagement.'

Clinton said Thursday that she had urged the president to allow international humanitarian groups, human rights monitors and journalists access to conflict zones, and in return hinted at upgrading diplomatic ties to ambassadorial level.

There has also been talk of the US allowing the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to resume activities in the country.

'The US wants to be a partner with Burma,' she said, calling the country by its old name. The country's former military junta changed its official name to Myanmar two decades ago.

Suu Kyi said Friday, 'If we go forward together, I am confident there will be no turning back on the road to democracy.'

'We are not on that road yet but we hope to get there as soon as possible.'

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