Foreign Secretary William Hague says Burma has promised to release political prisoners and continue reforms. He is due to meet democracy campaigner Aung San Suu Kyi on Friday.
The two-day visit by Hague is the first time a British minister has visited Burma – or Myanmar, as it is also known – since 1955, before the military seized power in 1962. It is considered politically acceptable for Britian to visit now because of signs of reform from the regime, which handed power to a civilian government last year.
The government is still backed by the army but there have been some political and economic reforms, including the release of 230 political prisoners last October. Hundreds more remain in prison and Britain, the United States and the European Union has made their release a condition for lifting sanctions.
Mr Hague met Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin and told reporters that he had asked for progress in four areas: the release of political prisoners, fair by-elections, resolution of conflict with ethnic groups and humanitarian access to conflict areas.
“I have assured him that if they do, there will be a strongly positive response from the UK and, I believe, the rest of the European Union,” Mr Hague said.”The foreign minister has reaffirmed commitments that have been made to release political prisoners. He said the changes are irreversible and I welcome that way of thinking.”
Hague will also meet President Thein Sein, a former junta general, and will hold talks on Friday with pro-democracy leader and Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
Burmese rights campaigners say Mr Hague must walk a careful line to avoid being accused of appeasement of a brutal regime. Mark Farmaner, director of the UK Burma Campaign said: “Hague could offer some small concessions but at the moment he’s there to deliver the message that lifting economic sancitons requires more genuine reforms. Britain will be very careful.
“There’s broad support for engagement but I don’t think they’ll move too fast.” He said reforms could take a long time.