President Obama Meets With Myanmar Opposition Leader Aung San Suu Kyi
Myanmar— -- President Obama was warmly welcomed as he arrived at the home of famous opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi for substantive talks.
The president exited his limo and flashed a big smile as he walked up to greet Suu Kyi at the front door. As they shook hands, Obama leaned down and kissed her on the check.
They met privately before addressing the press at a joint news conference on her lawn.
The residence, where she spent almost 15 years of her confinement under house arrest, is a large grey colonial overlooking a lake.
Obama and Suu Kyi met briefly yesterday in Naypyitaw, but today they are expected to have a more in-depth discussion about the government's stalling reform and her unique role in progressing the transition to civilian rule.
The beloved activist has been urging the US to step up its involvement and recently accused the US of being "overly optimistic."
"What significant reforms have been taken within the last 24 months?" she asked at a news conference last week. "This is something the United States needs to think very seriously about as well."
Obama has spent the last few days walking a fine line, trying to show support for the government while also pushing them to quicken the pace of reforms. In a sign of his support for the opposition, it's notable that Obama chose to do his press conference here with Suu Kyi and not in the Capital with President Thein Sein.
