YANGON: Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi met President Thein Sein on Friday, a government source said, the first meeting between the two and the latest olive branch from the army-backed regime that came to power this year after five decades of direct military rule.
Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who spent 15 years in detention under the former military rulers for campaigning for democracy, flew to the capital, Naypyitaw, to meet Thein Sein, formerly a top general in the military regime.
They met at the presidential palace, a senior official from the Ministry of Information said, declining to be named. The official had no details on what was discussed but said it was only a short meeting.
It was the first visit by Suu Kyi to Naypyitaw, a city built five years ago on a mountain plateau about 330 km north of Myanmar’s old capital and biggest city, Yangon.
Suu Kyi, 66, was released when her latest stint of house arrest expired last November, just after elections that were widely criticised as a sham, since the army made sure it dominated parliament and the new cabinet.
Even in detention, the charismatic, Oxford-educated daughter of Myanmar’s late independence hero, General Aung San, was the figurehead of the country’s fight against military dictatorship.
Thein Sein, who took office on March 30, is regarded as one of the more moderate members of a new government that contains hardliners opposed to engagement with Suu Kyi.
The military’s unbroken, 49-year grip on power officially ended in March, when the ruling State Peace and Development Council made way for a nominally civilian government led mostly by retired generals.
The relationship between Suu Kyi and the military has long been frosty but the new government has in the past few weeks taken steps towards engagement by arranging two meetings with Labour Minister Aung Kyi. (Reuters)
There have been other signs of change in recent weeks.
Thein Sein called on Thursday for several armed ethnic rebel groups to hold peace talks with the government to end decades of hostilities.
The government has also invited the International Monetary Fund to look at possible reforms to its currency system and a series of meetings have taken place between senior government officials and Western delegations.
Most analysts believe the openness being shown by Myanmar’s leaders, who until last year were part of one of the world’s most reclusive and oppressive regimes, is aimed in part at improving their image abroad with a view to ending decades of Western sanctions and consolidating power at home.
However, Western countries insist embargoes will remain in place until an estimated 2,100 political prisoners are released. REUTERS PA VK1515