Suu Kyi meeting Myanmar President a welcome development: McCain

August 20, 2011 07:54 am | Updated December 04, 2021 11:43 pm IST - Washington

Senator John McCain. File photo

Senator John McCain. File photo

A top American Senator has applauded the meeting between Myanmar’s President Thein Sein and popular pro-democratic leader Aung San Suu Kyi and termed it as a welcome development.

“I applaud the government in Nay Pyi Taw for allowing Aung San Suu Kyi to travel today to the capital city, where she is reportedly meeting with President Thein Sein,” Senator John McCain said.

“Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to Nay Pyi Taw follows other recent travels in the country that the government has permitted her to make,” he said.

“This is a small but very positive step, and I hope it represents the beginning of a real and meaningful process of dialogue and reconciliation between Aung San Suu Kyi and the government in Nay Pyi Taw.”

Earlier this week, the State Development too had welcomed recent developments in Myanmar.

“We’re encouraged by the talks with the government,” State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, told reporters early this week.

“We’re also encouraged that she was able to travel, that she was able to speak when she travelled, and that the government met its responsibilities to keep her safe and secure,” Ms. Nuland said.

However, the U.S. will judge the developments in the Asian nation by the steps being taken by the government and not by their statements. “We will judge this new government by the action it takes to open democratic space,” she said.

“As the Secretary (of State Hillary Clinton) said on her trip to the region, I believe in her Chennai speech, we have been calling on this new government in Burma not only to talk the talk, but to walk the walk,” Ms. Nuland said.

“So we will judge it by the walk that it walks. We were encouraged that Aung San Suu Kyi was able to travel, that she was able to speak, that she’s in dialogue with the government. We want to see those measures continue,” she added.

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