Clinton Arrives In Jakarta; Criticizes Myanmar's Military Junta

http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7014127715

February 18, 2009 10:38 a.m. EST

Kris Alingod - AHN Contributor
Jakarta, Indonesia (AHN) - On the second stop of her maiden overseas trip as the top U.S. diplomat, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Indonesia on Wednesday and criticized the military dictatorship of Myanmar, also known as Burma.

"We are going to work closely and we are going to consult with Indonesia," Clinton is quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying after meeting with Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda. "Imposing sanction has not influenced the junta ... reaching out and trying to engage has not influenced them either."

Burma has been governed by a military junta since 1962. Its current government is headed by of Senior General Than Shwe. Its most well-known pro-Democracy activist is Aung San Suu Kyi, head of the National League for Democracy, which has been a government-in-exile since winning a majority of votes in the 1990 national elections.

Last August, Burmese activists celebrated the 20th anniversary of the 8888 uprising with a meeting with then-President George W. Bush. The 888 uprising was a massive demonstration that resulted in the deaths of thousands of pro-Democracy activists, university students, government workers and Buddhist monks who were protesting against Burma's repressive regime.



Clinton left Washington, D.C. on Sunday for Tokyo, where she stayed for three days before flying to Jakarta. She proceeds to Korea on Thursday. Her fourth and last stop will be in Beijing.

She is the first secretary of State since the Kennedy administration to visit Asia on a maiden trip. Her visit to Beijing will be held a few weeks after the 30th anniversary of the establishment of U.S. diplomatic relations with China on Jan. 1.

Clinton is expected to speak with leaders about North Korea's denuclearization. China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States are part of negotiations, called six-party talks, with North Korea about disarmament.

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