Vol. 8 Issue 7 - Public International Law & Policy Group

The U.N. said Quintana has asked to meet government officials, political prisoners and
leaders of political parties, a clear reference to Suu Kyi, whom he was not allowed to see on
his last trip. He also requested to travel to three states Karen, Kayin and Kachin.
It said Quintana would also bring up political prisoners, legislative reform to protect human
rights, and independence of the judiciary in his meetings with government officials.
Myanmar's current junta came to power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy movement
and killing as many as 3,000 people. It called elections in 1990 but refused to honor the
results when Suu Kyi's party won overwhelmingly.
US looks for better way to sway Burma
Agence France Presse, 2/17/09
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday US President Barack Obama's administration
is looking for a better way to bring change to military-ruled Myanmar and help the country's
people.
"We are conducting a review of our policy," Clinton told a Tokyo University student from
Myanmar who asked whether there was an alternative to sanctions in order to promote
economic and political freedom in the country.
"We are looking at what steps we could take that might influence the current Burmese
government and we are also looking for ways that we could more effectively help the
Burmese people," she said.
Clinton, speaking at a town-hall type meeting with students at Tokyo university, used the
term Burma, the country's name before the military junta changed it to Myanmar.
Recalling a speech she gave to the Asia Society in New York last week, Clinton said: "We
want to see a time when the citizens of Burma and the Nobel prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi
live freely in their own country."
Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy party, has spent most of the past 19
years under house arrest by the junta that has ruled the country since 1962.
"I've spoken with many people already who are strong supporters of the Burmese people who
have said 'let's look to see if there's a better way', so we are doing that," the chief US
diplomat said.
"And I hope we will be able to arrive at a policy that can be more effective."
A day after Obama took office a senior official in Yangon said Myanmar hoped that the new
president would change Washington's tough policy towards its military regime and end the
"misunderstandings" of the past.