President Obama Meets with Myanmar Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi - East Idaho News
World News

President Obama Meets with Myanmar Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi

  Published at

getty 111414 presobamamyanmar?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1415980980931MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images(NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar) — President Obama was warmly welcomed as he arrived at the home of famous opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi for substantive talks.

The president exited his limo and flashed a big smile as he walked up to greet Suu Kyi at the front door. As they shook hands, Obama leaned down and kissed her on the check.

They met privately before addressing the press at a joint news conference on her lawn.

The residence, where she spent almost 15 years of her confinement under house arrest, is a large grey colonial overlooking a lake.

Obama and Suu Kyi met briefly Thursday in Naypyitaw, but Friday they are expected to have a more in-depth discussion about the government’s stalling reform and her unique role in progressing the transition to civilian rule.

The beloved activist has been urging the U.S. to step up its involvement and recently accused the U.S. of being “overly optimistic.”

“What significant reforms have been taken within the last 24 months?” she asked at a news conference last week. “This is something the United States needs to think very seriously about as well.”

Obama has spent the last few days walking a fine line, trying to show support for the government while also pushing them to quicken the pace of reforms. In a sign of his support for the opposition, it’s notable that Obama chose to do his press conference here with Suu Kyi and not in the Capital with President Thein Sein.


Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio

SUBMIT A CORRECTION