奧巴馬在仰光會晤昂山素季
U.S. President Barack Obama has met with Burmese President Thein Sein and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi in the country's main city of Rangoon, in the first visit to the country by a serving U.S. president.
After an hour-long meeting Monday, Mr. Obama, with President Thein Sein at his side, told reporters that the process of democratic and economic reform in the Southeast Asian nation can lead to incredible development opportunities. He added that he is looking forward to visiting again "sometime in the future."
Mr. Obama later met with Aung San Suu Kyi, the nation's leading democracy activist, at her home in Rangoon. The two Nobel Peace laureates held a news conference after the meeting, and Mr. Obama told reporters he has seen encouraging signs in the country in the past year, including Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house arrest and her election to parliament.
However, the Burmese democracy leader warned about the risk of what she called a "mirage of success." She said the most difficult time in any transition is when the people think success is in sight.
Mr. Obama delivers a speech at the University of Rangoon before traveling on to Cambodia for meetings with Southeast Asian leaders at the annual ASEAN summit.
President Obama has said his trip to Burma does not represent an endorsement of the government, but is rather an acknowledgement of the political reform process under way in the country.
The president said there has been a stated commitment to further political reform in Burma, which he says deserves encouragement.
He said the goal of his visit is to highlight the progress that has been made, and also to address the steps Burma needs to take in the future.
Mr. Obama spoke in Bangkok during a news conference with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra Sunday. Thailand was the first stop on a three-nation Asian visit in his first overseas trip since winning re-election nearly two weeks ago.美國總統奧巴馬在緬甸主要城市仰光會晤了緬甸總統吳登盛和緬甸民主運動領袖昂山素季，這是在任美國總統第一次訪問這個東南亞國家。
星期一，奧巴馬與吳登盛進行了一小時會晤。奧巴馬在會晤結束後對記者說，緬甸的民主和經濟改革進程會帶來驚人的發展機會。奧巴馬還表示，他期待“在今後某個時候”再次訪問緬甸。奧巴馬說這番話時，吳登盛在他身旁。
隨後，奧巴馬在仰光的昂山素季家中會晤了這位著名的民主活動人士。這兩位諾貝爾和平獎得主在會晤後一道舉行了記者會。奧巴馬對記者說，他一年來在緬甸看到了令人鼓舞的跡象，包括昂山素季解除軟禁以及當選議員。
但昂山素季警告說，要注意可能存在的成功假象。她表示，任何轉變時期的最困難階段就是人們都以爲勝利在望的時候。
奧巴馬將在仰光大學發表演講，隨後前往柬埔寨，會晤出席東盟年度會議的東南亞國家領導人。
奧巴馬曾經表示，他訪問緬甸並不意味着支持緬甸政府，而是對緬甸正在實行的政治改革進程的認可。
奧巴馬說，緬甸政府明確表示致力於進一步推行政治改革，這應當得到鼓勵。
奧巴馬說，他此次訪問的目的是強調緬甸已經取得的進步，還要談到緬甸未來應採取的步驟。
奧巴馬是在曼谷同泰國總理舉行的聯合記者會上說這番話的。泰國是奧巴馬亞洲之行的第一站。這是他在兩個星期前大選獲勝後的第一次出訪。
