Myanmar's Suu Kyi meets Obama, receives medal from Congress
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United States President Barack Obama speaks with Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on Sept 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi walks among her supporters as she arrives at the airport to embark on a trip to the United States at Yangon International Airport in Yangon, on Sept 16, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (right) meets with Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi at the State Department in Washington September 18, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Myanmar's Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (left) is presented with the Global Vision Award by Asia Society trustee Tom Freston after her speech at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, on Sept 18, 2012. Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi warned on Tuesday that reforms in her country had cleared only the "first hurdle" and said she supported an easing of United States Sanctions. "I do support the easing of sanctions," she said in remarks after a speech at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington on the opening day of a two-week tour of the United States. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Myanmar's Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi participates in a question and answer session with the audience at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, on Sept 18, 2012. Suu Kyi warned on Tuesday that reforms in her country had cleared only the "first hurdle" and said she supported an easing of United States Sanctions. "I do support the easing of sanctions," she said in remarks after a speech at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington on the opening day of a two-week tour of the United States. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi speaks at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, on Sept 18, 2012. Suu Kyi opened a two-week tour of the United States on Tuesday with talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the latest step of a rapid normalization of United States ties with the former pariah state. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (left) introduces Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to speak at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, on Sept 18, 2012. Suu Kyi opened a two-week tour of the United States on Tuesday with talks with Clinton in the latest step of a rapid normalization of United States ties with the former pariah state. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, (right) Chair of the National League for Democracy and Member of Parliament from Kawhmu Constituency, meets Senator Richard Lugar (right-IN), left, at the United States Capitol in Washington, on Sept 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Aung San Suu Kyi (centre), Chair of the National League for Democracy and Member of Parliament from Kawhmu Constituency, meets with Senators (left to right) John Kerry, Mitch McConnell, Harry Reid, Jim Webb, and Saxby Chambliss at the United States Capitol in Washington, on Sept 19, 2012. Suu Kyi warned on Tuesday that reforms in her country had cleared only the "first hurdle" and said she supported an easing of United States sanctions as part of a broad partnership with Washington. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is congratulated by former United States first lady Laura Bush (right) at a ceremony during which Suu Kyi was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal, at the United States Capitol in Washington, on Sept 19, 2012. Also in the picture are House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (left), House Speaker John Boehner (3rd left) and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (right, partially hidden). -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (3rd right) is presented with the Congressional Gold Medal at the United States Capitol in Washington, on Sept 19, 2012. Present at the ceremony are (left to right): House Speaker John Boehner former first lady Laura Bush, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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United States President Barack Obama speaks with Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington , on Sept 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
United States President Barack Obama speaks with Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, on Sept 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi walks among her supporters as she arrives at the airport to embark on a trip to the United States at Yangon International Airport in Yangon, on Sept 16, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (right) meets with Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi at the State Department in Washington September 18, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Myanmar's Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (left) is presented with the Global Vision Award by Asia Society trustee Tom Freston after her speech at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, on Sept 18, 2012. Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi warned on Tuesday that reforms in her country had cleared only the "first hurdle" and said she supported an easing of United States Sanctions. "I do support the easing of sanctions," she said in remarks after a speech at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington on the opening day of a two-week tour of the United States. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Myanmar's Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi participates in a question and answer session with the audience at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, on Sept 18, 2012. Suu Kyi warned on Tuesday that reforms in her country had cleared only the "first hurdle" and said she supported an easing of United States Sanctions. "I do support the easing of sanctions," she said in remarks after a speech at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington on the opening day of a two-week tour of the United States. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi speaks at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, on Sept 18, 2012. Suu Kyi opened a two-week tour of the United States on Tuesday with talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the latest step of a rapid normalization of United States ties with the former pariah state. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (left) introduces Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to speak at the United States Institute of Peace in Washington, on Sept 18, 2012. Suu Kyi opened a two-week tour of the United States on Tuesday with talks with Clinton in the latest step of a rapid normalization of United States ties with the former pariah state. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, (right) Chair of the National League for Democracy and Member of Parliament from Kawhmu Constituency, meets Senator Richard Lugar (right-IN), left, at the United States Capitol in Washington, on Sept 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Aung San Suu Kyi (centre), Chair of the National League for Democracy and Member of Parliament from Kawhmu Constituency, meets with Senators (left to right) John Kerry, Mitch McConnell, Harry Reid, Jim Webb, and Saxby Chambliss at the United States Capitol in Washington, on Sept 19, 2012. Suu Kyi warned on Tuesday that reforms in her country had cleared only the "first hurdle" and said she supported an easing of United States sanctions as part of a broad partnership with Washington. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is congratulated by former United States first lady Laura Bush (right) at a ceremony during which Suu Kyi was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal, at the United States Capitol in Washington, on Sept 19, 2012. Also in the picture are House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (left), House Speaker John Boehner (3rd left) and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (right, partially hidden). -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi (3rd right) is presented with the Congressional Gold Medal at the United States Capitol in Washington, on Sept 19, 2012. Present at the ceremony are (left to right): House Speaker John Boehner former first lady Laura Bush, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) -- PHOTO: REUTERS
United States President Barack Obama speaks with Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi during their meeting in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington , on Sept 19, 2012. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi met President Barack Obama at the White House and received the highest congressional award on Wednesday. Ms Suu Kyi, making a coast-to-coast United States (US) tour, held private talks with Mr Obama in the Oval Office after being feted by lawmakers in the ornate US Capitol, where she was presented with the Congressional Gold Medal for her long fight for democracy in a country ruled by army generals since 1962.
"This is one of the most moving days of my life, to be here in a house undivided, a house joined together to welcome a stranger from a distant land," she said. "Among all these faces are some I saw while I was under house arrest, and some I saw after I was released from house arrest," said Ms Suu Kyi, acknowledging strong support from US lawmakers during her 17 years of house arrest.
The Oval Office setting for the first meeting between the two Nobel Peace laureates afforded Ms Suu Kyi's visit some of the trappings normally reserved for visiting foreign presidents and prime ministers. But the White House, apparently treading carefully lest they allow the Ms Suu Kyi events upstage Myanmar's government, kept the meeting low-key. News photographers were allowed in briefly but not television cameras or print reporters.
Mr Obama and Ms Suu Kyi met for about half an hour. Mr Obama, seeking re-election in November, seised the chance to meet Ms Suu Kyi on the second day of her US tour. The encounter could help him highlight what many see as a foreign policy accomplishment of his administration in helping to push Myanmar's generals onto the path of democratic change.
