US President Obama visits Burma

(Vatican Radio) Barack Obama Monday became the first serving U.S. president to visit Burma, also known as Myanmar. In Rangoon, Obama met President Thein Sein, a former junta member who has spearheaded reforms since taking office in March 2011, and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Despite the release of a number of political prisoners, there is concern that the President’s visit may be coming too early in the reform process.

“We do think it is too big a reward for the small reforms that President Thein Sein of Burma has made so far”, says the Executive Director of the Burma Campaign UK, Anna Roberts.

Speaking to Lydia O’Kane she said that although the changes are welcome they do have to be seen as limited.

“As yet we haven’t seen any of the legal, constitutional reforms that would make a transition to democracy a real rather than a sort of promised objective.”

Speaking in Thailand on the eve of his visit, Obama denied he was going to offer his "endorsement" or that his trip was premature.

A senior U.S. official said Obama would announce the resumption of U.S. aid programmes in Burma during his visit, anticipating assistance of $170 million in fiscal 2012 and 2013, but this, would be dependent on further reforms. Listen