French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé met with Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday during his historic visit to the country. Juppé’s visit comes at a time when Burma is beginning to open up after years of authoritarian rule.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé arrived in Burma on Saturday, the highest-ranking French diplomat to visit the junta-ruled nation, as it launched a limited reform process, whereby hundreds of political prisoners have been freed.
Authorities in Burma claimed on Saturday 300 political prisoners have been released from prison. The amnesty has been hailed by Western countries including the United States which vowed to restore diplomatic ties with the country.
A warehouse containing gunpowder exploded in Rangoon (also known as Yangon), Burma on Wednesday, killing at least 17 and injuring 80, officials have reported. Three firemen were among the dead.
"The Lady of Rangoon" Aung San Suu Kyi could stand for parliament in the next by-elections. The pro-democracy leader was freed from house arrest a year ago. Sincce then, the Burmese government seems to have made concessions, for example by releasing political prisoners and loosening media restrictions. It aims to improve Burma's image abroad and lift economic sanctions imposed by the US and Europe.
A series of explosions at a new year water festival in Rangoon killed dozens and wounded many others on Thursday. The culprits are as yet unidentified.
A Burmese court has rejected opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s appeal against her extended house arrest following her August conviction over a bizarre incident in which an American man swam to her house uninvited.
Lawyers for detained Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi launched an appeal Thursday against her conviction on charges of sheltering a US man who swam to her lakeside house.
Western states have called for the release of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on her 64th birthday as the Burmese democracy icon prepares to spend her birthday in the notorious Insein prison in Rangoon.
The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has expressed "grave concern" at the trial of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, but ruled out sanctions against Burma, a fellow member state, saying they were not an appropriate solution.
