John McCain visit Myanmar

US Senator John McCain was expected to meet Burma's democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Thursday during a visit for talks with the new army-backed government and opposition.

The senior Republican's visit comes as President Barack Obama, who beat McCain in the 2008 White House race, pursues greater engagement with the military-dominated nation.

On Wednesday McCain, the ranking Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, met with Vice President Tin Aung Myint Oo and Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin in the capital Naypyidaw, according to state media.

They "exchanged views on promotion of bilateral ties and cooperation between the two countries," the New Light of Myanmar reported.

On Thursday McCain was expected to hold talks in Rangoon with Suu Kyi, who was released from house arrest in November shortly after the junta held the first election in 20 years.

The vote, which was won by the military's political proxies, was marred by widespread complaints of cheating and intimidation.

Suu Kyi's party was abolished by the junta for boycotting the poll and has no voice in the new parliament.

McCain wrote on the Twitter micro-blogging website he was "looking forward to seeing my inspiration, Aung San Suu Kyi. It has been a long, long time."

He was also expected to meet Khin Maung Swe, the leader of the National Democratic Force, formed by a group of former members of Suu Kyi's party who broke away to run in the November vote and won several seats in parliament.

"We will discuss the hot issues here like sanctions and [a prisoner] amnesty," Khin Maung Swe told AFP.

Rights groups criticised Burma last week after it released thousands of prisoners last month in a so-called amnesty. Most of them were common criminals rather than political prisoners.

McCain's talks follow a visit last month by senior US diplomat Joseph Yun, who called for "meaningful, concrete steps" towards democracy, respect for human rights, and the release of political prisoners, the US embassy said.

It was the highest-level meeting between the two nations since the handover of power to the new government.

US President Barack Obama's administration in 2009 launched a drive to engage with Burma's junta.

But Washington has voiced disappointment with the results of the dialogue and refused to ease sanctions.

Kurt Campbell, the US assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said in Washington on Tuesday that patience was wearing thin with Burma over efforts to move towards democracy, but he added that the United States would maintain a two-year-old policy of dialogue with the regime.

"It is not enough to say, 'Be patient, give us time.' There has been an enormous amount of time and substantial patience," Campbell said.

The Republican Party has also criticised the November election as a farce to rubber-stamp regime-backed candidates.Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Speaker U Khin Aung Myint received US Senator MR. John McCain and members accompanied by the US Charge' d' Affaires ad interim to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Mr. Larry M. Dinger, at the ZabuthiRi meeting hall of Hluttaw Building in Nay Pyi Taw on 1st June. Also present on the occasion were Deputy Speaker U Nyan Lin, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Maung Myint, Members of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Committee, representing various political parties and national races as well as the concerned officials from the Hluttaw Office.
Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin received US Senator Mr. John McCain and members, at the Ministry in Nay Pyi Taw on 1st June. Also present on the occasion were Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Myoe Myint and officials as well as US Charge' d' Affaires ad interim to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Mr. Larry M. Dinger. They cordially discussed promotion of US-Myanmar relationship and bilateral cooperation between the two countries. In honour of the visiting US Senator and members, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs U Maung Myint hosted a luncheon at Thingaha hotel in Nay Pyi Taw.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• news
• military
• defence
• John
• MacCain
• visit
• Myanmar
• Burma
• Naypyidaw
• Naypyitaw