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In Meeting with Southeast Asian Nations, President Obama Calls for Myanmar to Free Aung San Suu Kyi
November 15, 2009 5:44 AM
Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller report:
SINGAPORE -- At a meeting of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this morning, President Obama reaffirmed his call for Myanmar's ruling junta to free democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize.
President Obama used the same language at the closed-door meeting that he used in a public address in Tokyo on Saturday, an aide reported, saying of Myanmar, also known as Burma, that "there are clear steps that must be taken – the unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi; an end to conflicts with minority groups; and a genuine dialogue between the government, the democratic opposition and minority groups on a shared vision for the future."
ASEAN's member states are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
Myanmar's prime minister, General Thein Sein -- appointed interim prime minister in 2007 by the ruling military junta -- was in the room. It was not clear what his reaction was to that part of President Obama's remarks.
"The President's position is the same one he reiterated in Tokyo," National Security Council spokesman Benjamin Rhodes told reporters. "He delivered that directly and as a part of our approach of taking this message to them directly, enumerating the steps while maintaining the very strong sanctions we have on the Burmese government."
Aung San Suu Kyi, general secretary of the National League for Democracy in Burma, has been under detention for most of the previous 20 years. She was elected Prime Minister in 1990, but the Burmese military junta prevented her from ever taking office and she has been held in detention off and on ever since.
- Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller
November 15, 2009 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (7)
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How about the call of a peace advocacy group in the Philippines for an investigation into the alleged engagement of Fedex representative with terrorist npa?
Posted by: papilo agojo | Nov 23, 2009 7:54:57 AM
That's wonderful . finally obama care about Myanmar. but i think if they don't usually give pressure on junta , the result will be not good for myanmar nationality
Posted by: nuusanmai | Nov 16, 2009 1:47:00 AM
Glenn-- of course the President is known to say one thing and do another. He says these thing to fill the gills of the gullible guppies like tierra. He could poop on her head and she would simply ask newspaper or magazine?
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The right wing becomes more infantile as time goes by. You embarrass yourselves. Sad.
Posted by: tierra | Nov 15, 2009 4:55:19 PM
OH! finally he cares about human rights !!
how about China's dissidents who were arrested just before he arrives?
How about Iranian-american citizen who was jailed in Iran?
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This woman was democratically elected by a landslide, and then jailed by the military dictatorship.
President Obama's statement was completely correct.
She's been in jail for close to 20 years; it's good to have a U.S. President calling attention to her.
Expect the usual carpers and whiners to carp and whine.
Posted by: tierra | Nov 15, 2009 3:16:08 PM
Obama has confused Aung San Suu Kyi with Khalid Sheik Muhammed.
Posted by: drjohn | Nov 15, 2009 1:22:41 PM
Jake Tapper somehow forgot to report that the joint statement released after the ASEAN meeting completely ignored Aung San Suu Kyi and her 14 year detention by the military junta and also is devoid of any call for her and other political prisoners release.
The obvious question is why did Obama, the leader of the free world, sign on to the ASEAN joint statement without the inclusion of a call for the military junta to release Aung San Suu Kyi and the other political prisoners?
Posted by: Glenn | Nov 15, 2009 11:09:57 AM
OH! finally he cares about human rights !!
how about China's dissidents who were arrested just before he arrives?
How about Iranian-american citizen who was jailed in Iran?
its shame for this president that is afraid to use "human righs" words in his speeches and does not stand up to Tyrants but love to bow!
Posted by: fariba | Nov 15, 2009 10:05:25 AM
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