President’s Office confirms Obama to meet Thein Sein

Published on Sunday, 18 November 2012 04:22

The President’s Office director Zaw Htay yesterday confirmed that US President Barack Obama would be meeting President Thein Sein, but declined to reveal the date and venue amid reports of the two leaders holding the meeting at the Yangon Parliament building on Monday.

The President’s Office also announced that the US president would pay a working visit to Myanmar “in the near future”.

President Obama is also expected to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, chairperson of National League for Democracy, and give a speech at Yangon University during his visit.

On Monday, he will arrive in Myanmar after visiting Thailand and will proceed to Cambodia on the same day.

Prior to President Obama’s landmark visit to the former capital city, two planes carrying US government officials and equipment have arrived separately at Yangon International Airport on November 8 and 11. Five C-17 aircraft from the US Air force have also arrived at the airport on November 12 and 13.

President Thein Sein left for Cambodia on November 17 to attend the 21st Asean Summit, and will return to Myanmar on November 19 to meet President Obama. Afterwards, Thein Sein will return to Cambodia to continue attending the Asean Summit and related summits, Aung Lin, the director of Asean Affairs, told Eleven Media Group at the Sofitel Hotel, Cambodia, on November 16.

The 21st Asean Summit and related summits are being held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, from November 15 to 20.

President Thein Sein paid a historic visit to New York last September as the first Myanmar leader to deliver a speech at the UN General Assembly.

Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi also went on a US tour in the same month and met with President Obama.

The US and Myanmar have passed a milestone in the bilateral relations following different US trips by the two Myanmar leaders, according to William Burns, US deputy secretary of state, who visited Myanmar last month.
The US, as well as European countries, eased sanctions imposed on Myanmar phase by phase on account of its reform process since Thein Sein took office in 2011.

During the Obama administration, the US changed its policy to have warmer bilateral relations with Myanmar. The US and Myanmar have established diplomatic relations since 1947.