In Historic Trip, Clinton to Visit Myanmar
President Barack Obama announced Friday that he will send Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Myanmar, on a mission to see whether Southeast Asian nation can make further progress on human rights.
The military-run country, formerly known as Burma, has been in the spotlight as once-jailed, now potential parliamentary candidate Aung San Suu Kyi is seeking election.
She spoke with Obama ahead of the ASEAN economic summit in Bali, India according to CNN.
“For decades Americans have been deeply concerned about the denial of basic human rights for the Burmese people,” Obama said from the summit. “The persecution of democratic reformers, the brutality shown toward ethnic minorities and the concentration of power in the hands of a few military leaders has challenged our conscience and isolated Burma from the United States and much of the world.”
Obama said there had been “clickers of progress” in the last several weeks, with more to be done.
The trip by Clinton, expected to take place next month, will be the first time a U.S. Secretary of State visits the country in more than 50 years.
“She will explore whether the United States can empower a positive transition in Burma and begin a new chapter between our countries,” Obama said during the summit.