British Foreign Secretary William Hague makes historic Burma visit
William Hague is the first British Foreign Secretary to visit Burma for more than 50 years
William Hague is to become the first British Foreign Secretary to visit Burma for more than 50 years in a move intended to bolster the country's budding reform process.
New president Thein Sein last year unexpectedly embarked on a series of liberalising measures, including opening talks with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, releasing more than 200 political prisoners and legalising trade unions.
Speaking ahead of his arrival in the capital Naypyitaw, Mr Hague welcomed the "encouraging" steps taken by the government and urged it to continue on the path of reform after years of hardline military rule.
Critics however cautioned that significant numbers of political prisoners remain behind bars, despite government promises to free them, while reports of abuses against ethnic minorities continue.
Mr Hague is expected to use his meetings with Thein Sein and other senior figures to press for the release of the remaining political prisoners - variously estimated to number between 590 and 1,700 - and for free and fair elections.
Aung Sang Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy has now re-registered as a political party and will contest a series of 48 parliamentary by-elections due to take place on April 1, in what is being seen as an important test of the reform process.
Britain is also pushing for a process of national reconciliation to end the fighting between the government and the country's ethnic minorities, such as the Kachins, and to bring them into the mainstream political process.
"I am visiting the country to encourage the Burmese government to continue on its path of reform, and to gauge what more Britain can do to support this process," Mr Hague said.
"Further steps are needed that will have a lasting impact on human rights and political freedom in Burma.
"In particular, we hope to see the release of all remaining political prisoners, free and fair by-elections, humanitarian access to people in conflict areas, and credible steps towards national reconciliation."
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