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Updated 1:53 a.m. ET
BALI, Indonesia -- President Obama announced Friday that he will send Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Myanmar (referred to as Burma by the United States government) next month to "explore whether the United States can empower a positive transition" in the country.
This will be the first visit of a sitting secretary of state to Myanmar in half a century. This continues steps the United States has made to explore diplomatic relations with a historically repressive government that has shown signs of change recently.
The president said the "flickers of progress" that have been observed in the last several weeks were the "the most important steps towards reform in Burma that we've seen in years." These movements include the release of some political prisoners in October, the formation of trade unions, a relaxing of some media restrictions and the establishment of a human-rights commission.
Flying from Australia to Indonesia on Air Force One Thursday night, the president spoke with political activist and Nobel Peace Prize-winner Aung San Suu Kyi -- who was released from house arrest by Myanmar's government last year. This was another move the United States sees as positive.
Obama confirmed that Suu Kyi "supports American engagement to move this process forward."
During meetings Friday with East Asian leaders, including the president of Myanmar, Obama will stress that far more needs to be done in the country when it comes to issues such as the abuse of ethnic minorities. A senior administration official cautioned that Secretary Clinton will not bring promises to lift sanctions on this trip. Such moves on the part of the U.S. will take more action on human rights and political prisoners, the official said.
Leaders of other countries in the Southeast Asian region, including some Obama met with Frisay, have been pushing for the U.S. to push a higher-level dialogue with Myanmar.
"We want to seize what could be a historic opportunity 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," Obama said.
Obama is in Indonesia winding up a nine-day international trip where he's expressed the importance of trade and security between the United States and Asia Pacific countries.
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WOW!
Will you look at that!! Democracies sprouting up all over the planet and there is Barack Obama bearing the standard of Liberty.
You go Mr. President!!
All this and he is leaving a trail of dead terrorists and dictators too; from Ghadaffi to bin Laden to Somali pirates. Walks the walk don't he?
Pity the repubs failed at foreign policy.
Republicans aren't happy unless the world hates us and America is involved in pointless, protracted, military engagements in region of the world that bear no relationship to our security interests.
Vote Romney and get a war with Iran.
WOW! The Sun came up today thanks Obama, more Kool Aid please.
Hillary 2012
GOPisEX-- America isn't even a Democracy,but I'm sure you knew that.Right?
Obama just can't do the same with Cuba, after all, Raul Castro has also showed some signs of improvement: released all political prisoners, allowed small business, rental of agricultural land, sale of cell phones, PC's, automobiles, real estate, etc.
I guess he is afraid of those Cuban-Americans in South Florida.
You are really stretching to give Obama credit for something aren't you? You call sending Hillary to Mynamar with check book in hand a good thing? Why do we care about Mynamar? He didn't have much to do with Libya and Libya wasn't a threat to the U.S. Look at his success with Iran, North Korea, Pakistan, Syria, China. He sure walks the walk!
With respect to Cuba, President Obama has aleady eased travel restrictions to make it easier for Americans to travel there. It is now easier than ever for Cuban-Americans to travel directly from their local airport to Cuba.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/01/14/2016622/obama-to-ease-travel-restrictions.html
Uh, T4T? We most definitely are.
Double WOW! On the heels of President Obama's announcement that Bali has awarded Boeing a huge multi-billion dollar contract for airplanes, the largest one-time purchase to date, that will support 110,000 US workers which will in turn support thousands of other jobs. Now the US will begin to establish diplomatic relations with Myanmar. What's that about leading from behind? Bravo, Mr. President and your team!
That Deal was done by Boeing!!! Boeing sells their own product. They are capitalists, they are not a government run company.This isn't China ...ooops I forgot about GM
Thanks Oboeing.
Wouldn't Boeing be one of those businesses that Barry just called "lazy"??
Not Just Boeing ALL Americans... except him. He has been campaigning 24/7 365 since 2007.
Jody, Iowa Bali is a small island resort paradise, I think the contract was awarded to Boeing by Lion Air an Indonesia airline carrier based in Jakarta.
JOE & TIME: Sorry guys. That "liberal media" that you constantly whine about, well, the quote you heard was taken totally out of context. But I guess you knew that after watching O'Reilly & Hannity. I mean, I'm sure they made a real effort to clarify what Obama really said.
Not that we should be surprised, your party is simply doing what it does best, lie. Actually, lie, distort & demonize. If either of you ladies have half a brain, which is debatable, I suggest you go back and read the entire quote. But you won't. You're just 2 more Reich Wing haters, grasping for any excuse to blame Obama for anything, no matter how trumped up the accusations may be.
Hey, maybe Obama could finance some kind of green company over there. You know, make paper fans or something??
More jobs for the Myanmars.
ABO 2012.
Another great accomplishment! Wow! Thank you President Obama! I will add this to the list of great things you have done for the United States.
Obama/Biden 2012
Here add this $15 trillion + 9% = we all lose.
Hillary 2012
Hillary 2016
FTFY
Hey Leave the Nobel "Peace"Prize winning, Ass Kicking, Killing machine out of it.
Hillary will take care of it.
Hillary 2012
Hillary the facelift queen??
WOW what an outstanding President we have. Makes the tea people republicans candidates look even nuttier.
That's because the name of the country IS BURMA!
Get it straight.
Here we go again! Let's put our noses in other people's business. I'm sure the troops coming home from Iraq (I'll believe it when I see it) don't have anything better to do.
U.S. to open talks with Burma.Sorry I call this country by it's REAL NAME.Not some STUPID NAME made up by a BARABRIAN PHONY GOVERNMENT!
HERE'S A THOUGHT!Unless we're after something why the HELL ARE WE TALKING TO THESE STUPID BASTARDS!
TOTALLY ABSURD!Anybody with an eighth of Brain can see through this STUPIDITY!
This is like a game of Chess and US is simply only doing this to contain China. They don't care about human rights or anything. This is the same reason why Nixon visited China (China had worst human rights then, in the midst of its cultural revolution) during the cold war against USSR and now they are visiting Myanmar to contain a rising China. They no longer pay attention to Russia because they are significantly weaker now than the former USSR. Human Rights, Freedom and Liberty are only used as political tools to preserve USA Hegemony over the world. Why else would they start dialogue with Myanmar right now?
I couldn't agree with you more when you say this is all a chess game aimed at containing China's growing influence in Asia, the Pacific, and the Middle East (not to mention Africa!). With this announcement coming on the heels of the APEC summit last week, and Obama's recent announcement of marines being sent to Australia - this is likely just another blatant attempt at courting new allies in the region. I have a lot more to say on this subject as well as the rise of China and I encourage one and all to check out my blog @ themojitocorner.com
Obama kicks butt! He may not live up to the great paragon of world leadership that was the Bush Junior Administration, but he certainly has had numerous foreign policy successes.
Name me the Great Foreign Policies the HE ACTUALLY had much to do with. I mean those of any IMPORTANCE. You libs give him creadit for anything positive, that anyone else does. IE: Boeing sales. As said above... BOEING is an independant company. THEY conduct their own sales./ Those sales have absolutley NOTHING to do with your Savior, Obama
Get a life and Oh Yep..... Have a nice day
Name me the Great Foreign Policies the HE ACTUALLY had much to do with. I mean those of any IMPORTANCE. You libs give him creadit for anything positive, that anyone else does. IE: Boeing sales. As said above... BOEING is an independant company. THEY conduct their own sales./ Those sales have absolutley NOTHING to do with your Savior, Obama
Get a life and Oh Yep..... Have a nice day
Ha ha ha!!! Remember that Obama hates business, Obama isn't watching China, Obama has no balls to deal with foreign dictatorships around the world. Obama doesn't believe in America exceptionalism!!! All the things that people have said about this President since he's been in office is now proving to be false and gues what he gave compromising and being subtle with people (Republicans, other foreign leaders China, Russia, and Iran) trying to work on something to get things done around the world to help everyone and they turned there backs on him. Guess what he's said F#ck It Then!! We're going to go the places around the world to get things done for American business's help the American people, we're going to sign executive orders to help get America to start helping veterans, young students, and older americans, we're going to box in China and let them know that hey don't start none it won't be none Static as the godfather of soul once said. Iran he has already thrown down the gauntlet that if they keep trying to get a nuclear weapon sanctions will come down even swifter and more devastating and they also bet not start none, and Russia basically he's already gotten them to lay down there arms and if they start trying to support Iran they're going to be in trouble also. Now let's see these republican candidates get on stage and tell people how weak he is on foreign policy in a debate setting and watch them get laughed off stage.
yeah, he's going to get us into a war yet, exactly what the political class wants.
Our national interest in Myanmar or Burma is exactly what? Just another place to dump money?
Hell, lets just send them several billion from a bank in China, Obama is good for it.
whats he want another country to run after we throw him out
Romney 2012.
I'm so tired of our government just looking for more places to dump money we have to borrow from China to begin with. Rick Perry has the right idea. Zero-based budgeting for ALL foreign aid. Wipe it all out and then, if and only if it can be justified, consider it. For decades now we have been trying to buy friends. Memo to the fed's - we have something akin to 330,000,000 friends living right here within our own borders.
Do we really need to befriend the liars, thieves and whores running other countries?
I'm glad do seem someone promoting peace for a change, but that means that we'll be sending our hard earned money to yet another country that needs our jobs. Humanitarian aid is something that should be given from the heart and not through the stroke of a politicians pen.
Obama's foreign policy has been WILDLY SUCCESSFUL and even most of the righties, save the most completely ignorant and brainwashed KNOWS this. It must drive any rightie, with a small modicum of untelligence and honesty, freakin' nuts!
leroy> Mr. Obama's foreign policy has been so wildly successful that people in foreign countries burn him and his photographs in effigy rather than throwing shoes at Bush. Get a clue, leroy. Obama's policy of butt-kissing, bowing, appeasing and sending ever more money abroad is as much a failure as the rest of his failed presidency.
Still lost in that rightie forest I see, eh Rick? That's it, us "libbies" are organizing a search party for you. Just hang on a little longer...
U.S. to open dialogue with Myanmar.
INCOMING!
Note: I do not support either corrupt political party. Vote out the incumbents, for true term limits.
Any of you conservatives who insist that this will involve sending Myanmar money care to provide their evidence for this assertion?
That's right, I didn't think so.