Obama offers Burma 'new phase' in relations

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Obama offers Burma 'new phase' in relations

Published: 2/12/2011 at 10:56 AM
Online news: Asia

RANGOON - US President Barack Obama offered Burma a new era in relations if it reforms, and promised democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi his eternal support in letters hand-delivered by his top diplomat Thursday.

The high-stakes personal intervention in a country long regarded by the West as a pariah state came during a historic visit by Hillary Clinton, the first US secretary of state to set foot in the isolated nation in 50 years.

Barack Obama

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ianprince
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Discussion 7 : 02/12/2011 at 01:12 PM7
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Suddenly women have raise up to rule the world.
First Clinton (Mrs.), than YS, and now ASSk.
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svenviking
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Discussion 6 : 02/12/2011 at 10:58 AM6
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Chinese proverb. A good neighbor is better than a far away brother.
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iamhere
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Discussion 5 : 02/12/2011 at 10:21 AM5
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I opened an account just for this topic, First of all having lived in Myanmar for 2 years before settling in Thailand I would like to to reply to Disc 1. The whole population of the country call Burma by the name Myanmar and are quite offended when western people call it Burma as it was called Myanmar long before the British were there and as soon as they left they changed it back to Myanmar and the same goes for the city Rangoon which is only known as Yangon to the Myanmar people who have never called it Rangoon,So by calling it Burma and Rangoon does not show support for the people of the country it just shows ignorance of who they are. Also I'm not sure where you get your information Disc 3, but men and women are equal in Myanmar and always have been and surprisingly quite multicultural too, women have no problem with making merit at the temples the same as any other Buddhist countries do also women CAN touch the Buddha statues but they can't touch the monks.
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svenviking
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Discussion 4 : 02/12/2011 at 09:23 AM4
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I don't think the lady from US will have any luck in her marriage proposal. Myanmar already have a fiancée. He is standing to the north of her.
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saharat
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Discussion 3 : 02/12/2011 at 08:21 AM3
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If the women living in Burma are not accepted as equal to men,why would secretary Clinton think they would listen to her?the men in Burma consider buddhism to be for men only,because women can not make merit.and women are not allowed to touch the buddha there also.
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Ponyboy
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Discussion 2 : 02/12/2011 at 05:53 AM2
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Nice photo. Reminds me of an old Broadway musical.
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hillfarang
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Discussion 1 : 02/12/2011 at 05:36 AM1
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"The former military junta tried to rename the country "Myanmar" in 1989, reverting to a historical name. The United States is among those who still spell the country's name as "Burma", a rebuke to the military dictators for failing to ask the country its opinion of a name change."

I strongly suggest that we too continue this (UK uses 'Burma' as well) to show our support for all of the oppressed people living there.

Interesting the word for the country did NOT change in Thai or hill-tribe languages!
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Obama offers Burma 'new phase' in relations | Bangkok Post: news