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November 18, 2011

Clinton to Visit Burma; Aung San Suu Kyi to Run for Parliament 
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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is heading to Burma next month
as part of a thawing of ties with the ruling military junta. Clinton's
visit would mark the first by a U.S. secretary of state in 50 years.
Speaking at a summit in Bali, President Obama said he sees "flickers of
progress" in Burma.

President Obama: "After years of darkness we've seen flickers of
progress in these last several weeks. President Thein Sein and the
Burmese Parliament have taken important steps on the path toward reform.
We want to seize what could be an historic for progress and make it
clear that if Burma continues to travel down the road of democratic
reform it can forge a new relationship with the United States of
America. Last night, I spoke to Aung San Suu Kyi directly and confirmed
that she supports American engagement to move this process forward. So
today I've asked Secretary of State Clinton to go Burma."

As news broke of Clinton's visit, Burma's pro-democracy leader, Aung San
Suu Kyi, announced she will run for parliament in Burma's next
elections. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy will register for the
vote after boycotting last year's elections.



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