Clinton arrives in Burma to assess progress on reforms

Clinton arrives in Burma to assess progress on reforms
By William Wan - Washington Post
November 30, 2011

NAYPYIDAW, Burma — Hillary Rodham Clinton touched down on Wednesday in the desolate new capital of Burma, becoming the first U.S. secretary of state to visit the authoritarian country in more than half a century.

She brings with her potential incentives for the country’s authoritarian leaders to continue their recent movement toward reform — and also intentions to press them on Burma’s suspected weapons trade with North Korea.

Clinton’s plane was met by a raft of Burmese officials, eager to engage with the U.S. and demonstrate their sincerity for progress after decades of economic sanctions, isolation and international criticism over their brutal crackdown on democratic activists, violence against ethnic minorities and human rights abuses.

“I am obviously looking to determine for myself and on behalf of our government what is the intention of the current government with respect to continuing reforms both political and economic,” Clinton told reporters shortly before her arrival. “We and many other nations are quite hopeful that these flickers of progress . . . will be ignited into a movement for change.”

Her visit comes at a time when Burma, also known as Myanmar, seems poised for historic reforms — an opening the Obama administration is eager to capitalize on through incentives. The arrival of the chief U.S. diplomat itself is the largest reward thus far, because it lends the reclusive country international prestige and recognition — both of which its leaders crave.

Clinton’s advisers declined to discuss what additional incentives the secretary of state was bringing on this trip, saying much of that depends on her sense in meetings of the government’s willingness to continue reforms.

“We are actually deeply realistic for what can be expected. There have been a number of failed attempts at reform, over decades,” said a senior administration official who was not authorized to be quoted by name. “We are mindful of the risks, and we will be very careful as we go forward.”

The two biggest signs of sincerity that U.S. officials say they are looking for are the release of all political prisoners and an end to the violent war between government troops and ethnic minorities.

Since October, Burma has released 200 political prisoners. But activists believe at least 1,600 remain imprisoned, including some of the most prominent opposition leaders. Some government officials have blamed the lack of further releases on recent political protests.

“There may be some prisoners of conscience remaining to be released,” U Ko Ko Hlaing, chief political adviser to President U Thein Sein, said in an e-mail interview. “The president has this issue in his mind. I think the next batch of release may be depend upon how the released persons are doing with politics. If their activities are going well in accordance with national reconciliation efforts, I think it will make better condition for next amnesty.”

As far as ethnic violence, the adviser said, negotiations are in process. Human rights advocates, however, point out that violent clashes with soldiers occurred as recently as last week.

Clinton will also press the government on its suspected weapons trade with North Korea, officials said. The United States in recent years has blocked North Korean vessels believed to be transporting arms to Burma. And Burmese defectors have accused the junta of illicitly conducting nuclear research.

The senior official traveling with Clinton said she is primarily focused on Burma’s trade for missile technology, rather than its nuclear program. “”We’ve looked at this fairly carefully and we do not see signs of a substantial nuclear effort at this time,” he said.

Clinton nevertheless will ask Burmese officials to sign an International Atomic Energy Agency protocol that would open it up to nuclear-related inspections, the official said.

Her historic visit is partly clouded by uncertainty. Because of the secretive nature of Burma’s reclusive government, U.S. officials acknowledge that they do not know exactly how decisions are made in the nominally civilian government of President Thein Sein – nor how much control the president wields.

Thein Sein, like many members of the leadership, is a former military officer. His precise motivation for the country’s sudden and surprising move toward reform are also unknown, though many suspect it partly stems from a desire to avoid over-reliance on China -- Burma’s strongest ally, but also a voracious consumer of Burma’s natural resources.

“China has no resistance toward Myanmar seeking improved relationships with the West, but it will not accept this while seeing its interests stamped on,” wrote the state-run Chinese paper Global Times in an editorial on Clinton’s visit.

Clinton will spend Thursday meeting with the president and leaders of Burma’s parliament. Flying next to Rangoon, she will meet for the first time Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of Burma’s long-persecuted democracy movement.

After a private dinner with Suu Kyi Thursday night, the two women will meet again on Friday. Clinton will also meet with representatives of Burma’s ethnic minorities and civil service organizations.