President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton tour the Wat Pho Royal Monastery with Chaokun Suthee Thammanuwat on Sunday in Bangkok. From there, Obama traveled to Myanmar. (Carolyn Kaster, The Associated Press)
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE???En route to a historic visit to long-shunned Myanmar, President Barack Obama said he would "extend the hand of friendship" to a nation moving from persecution to peace. But the praise and personal attention came with an admonition: The work of democracy has just begun.
"Instead of being repressed, the right of people to assemble together must now be fully respected," Obama said in speech excerpts released Monday ahead of his arrival. "Instead of being stifled, the veil of media censorship must continue to be lifted. As you take these steps, you can draw on your progress."
He became the first U.S. president to go to Myanmar, also known as Burma, when Air Force One touched down in Yangon on Monday morning. He was flying from Thailand for a visit that would last just six hours but carried significant symbolism. It is the result of a remarkable turnaround in the countries' relationship.
Obama has rewarded Myanmar's rapid adoption of democratic reforms by lifting some economic penalties. He has appointed a permanent ambassador to the country and pledged greater investment if Myanmar continues to progress after a half-century of military rule.
In his speech, to be delivered at Rangoon University, Obama recalls a promise he made after taking office ? that the United States would extend a hand if those nations that ruled in fear unclenched their fists.
"Today, I have come to keep my promise and extend the hand of friendship," he said. "The flickers of progress that we have seen must not be extinguished. They must become a shining North Star for all this nation's people."
Some human-rights groups say Myanmar's government, which continues to hold hundreds of political prisoners and is struggling to contain ethnic violence, hasn't done enough to earn a personal visit from Obama. The president said from Thailand on Sunday that his visit is not an endorsement of the government in Myanmar but an
President Barack Obama walks through a Thai military honor guard after arriving at Don Muang airport Sunday in Bangkok. (Jason Reed, Reuters)
acknowledgment that dramatic progress is underway and deserves a global spotlight.Before his speech, Obama will meet with representatives of civil society.
Obama's Asia tour also marks his formal return to the world stage after months mired in a bruising re-election campaign. For his first post-election trip, he tellingly settled on Asia, a region he has deemed crucial to U.S. prosperity and security.
Aides say Asia will factor heavily in Obama's second term as the U.S. seeks to expand its influence in an attempt to counter China.
China's rise is also at play in Myanmar, which long has aligned itself with Beijing. But some in Myanmar fear that China is taking advantage of its wealth of natural resources, so the country is looking for other partners to help build its nascent economy.
Obama will meet in Myanmar with Prime Minister Thein Sein, who has orchestrated much of his country's reforms. The president will also meet with longtime Myanmar democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi in the home where she spent years under house arrest.
The president, as he seeks to assuage critics, has trumpeted Suu Kyi's support of his outreach efforts, saying Sunday that she was "very encouraging" of his trip.
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