US President Barack Obama praised Myanmar President Thein Sein on Monday for leading his country in a “new direction” as the leaders met for the first visit to the White House by a leader of the Asian nation in decades.
Obama noted a shift in relations between the countries due to political and economic reforms in Myanmar and the resulting lifting of many US sanctions.
The leaders met in the Oval Office in the latest sign of warming relations between the two countries, after a visit by Obama in November to Myanmar.
“We very much appreciate your efforts and leadership in leading Myanmar in a new direction, and we want you to know that the United States will make every effort to assist you on what I know is a long and sometimes difficult but ultimately correct path to follow,” Obama said.
Thein Sein described himself as pleased with the improvement in relations with Washington.
Obama praised the release of political prisoners, including opposition figure Aung San Suu Kyi, who visited Washington last year, and singled out the legislature for “continuing to make strides in the direction of more inclusivity and greater representation of all the various groups within Myanmar.” Obama told reporters after the meeting that Thein Sein described his plans to release more political prisoners, institutionalise existing political reforms and resolve ethnic conflicts by incorporating minorities into the political process.
Myanmar last week announced amnesty for 23 political prisoners on the eve of the president’s trip. Human rights groups estimate there are still more than 200 political prisoners in Myanmar prisons.
Violence against Muslims in Myanmar
Obama expressed concern about violence against minority Muslim communities in Myanmar and said the US was prepared to offer assistance to assure minorities “that their rights and their dignity is recognised over the long term.” Outside the White House, several dozen protestors gathered on behalf of the minority Rohingya.
Obama called the country Myanmar instead of the official US policy to refer to it as Burma. Spokesman Jay Carney said the change was part of “a limited use of the name Myanmar as a diplomatic courtesy.” “While we are not changing our policy to officially adopt Myanmar, we believe that showing respect for a government that is pursuing an ambitious reform programme and a government that is pursuing that agenda is an important signal of support for its efforts and our desire to help the transformation succeed,” he said.
“But our policy remains that Burma is the name of the country.” Thein Sein described the democratisation process as a “daunting task ahead of us,” noting challenges such as rampant poverty.
“For democracy to flourish in our country, we will have to move forward, and we will have to undertake reforms – political reforms and economic reforms – in the years ahead,” he said through a translator.
“We are trying our best with our own efforts to have political and economic reforms in our country. But we will also need – along this path, we will also need the assistance and understanding from the international community, including the United States.” Thein Sein is the first head of state from Myanmar to visit the United States since 1966.
Washington eased economic sanctions last year on Myanmar in recognition of political and economic reforms implemented since Thein Sein came to power in March 2011.
The Obama administration left in place some sanctions as leverage to encourage the Myanmar government to maintain the reform process.
In April the European Union dropped all of its sanctions on Myanmar except for an arms embargo.
On May 2, US Secretary of State John Kerry lifted a 17-year-old ban that had blocked many Myanmar officials from travelling to the United States.
Thein Sein was removed from a US sanctions list last year; a US travel ban remains in place against a much smaller list of Myanmar officials.