Myanmar's
Aung San Suu Kyi met President Barack Obama at the White House on Wednesday on
her first visit to the United States since her party won a sweeping victory in
last year's election; halt a decades-long journey from political prisoner to
national leader.
With Suu Kyi no longer an opposition figure, the United States is
weighing a further easing of sanctions against Myanmar, formerly known as
Burma. As Obama looks to normalise relations with a country, Washington had
turned away from when it was ruled by a military junta.
Suu Kyi also was expected to meet other US officials including
Secretary of State John Kerry and senior members of Congress.
Before the
meeting, Obama notified to the Congress about his intent to restore trade
benefits to Myanmar that had been suspended more than two decades ago amid
allegations of rights abuses.
In a notification
to the Congress minutes before his meeting with Suu Kyi, Obama announced his
intent to designate Burma as a least-developed beneficiary developing nation
for purposes of the GSP program.
"I am writing
to inform you of my intent to end the suspension of preferential treatment for
Burma as a beneficiary developing country under the Generalized System of
Preferences programme and to designate Burma as a least- developed beneficiary
developing country for purposes of the GSP program," Obama said in a
notification to the Congress.
The move is seen
as commensurate to the progress made towards restoration of democracy in
Myanmar which is still being called by the US by its previous name Burma.
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