William Hague Makes Historic Visit To Burma

Lisa Holland, foreign affairs correspondent
William Hague is making an historic visit to Burma, becoming the first British Foreign Secretary to enter the country since 1955.
Mr Hague is meeting the country's president and will also have two meetings with the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, one of the world's most famous dissident figures.
After being freed from house arrest in November 2010 she is now planning to run in limited elections in Rangoon in April.
Commenting ahead of his visit the Foreign Secretary said: "This visit, the first by any Foreign Secretary in more than half a century, has been made possible by the encouraging recent steps taken by the Burmese government.
"The release of some political prisoners, the dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, improvements in media freedoms, and changes to legislation which have enabled the National League for Democracy to participate in this year's by-elections are welcome reforms which we urge the government to build on.
"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."
Ruled by a military junta wielding absolute power and suppressing all dissent for decades, Burma has seen a dramatic shift in its control of the opposition over the last 18 months.
Following on from the-then President Thein Shwe, Than Sein took power in March 2011 as the new Head of State.
Power was officially transferred from the military to a nominally civilian government although in reality it was a case of many of the generals simply taking off their uniforms and putting on suits. President Than Sein is himself a former general.
But there has been remarkable progress in the last 14 months - one diplomat described it as the "difference between night and day".
Mr Hague has arrived in the capitol Naypyidaw. He will meet President Sein - on the agenda the forthcoming elections, aid to non-governmental organisations in Burma, and Britain's demands for the continuation of an amnesty for political prisoners still being held and further reform.
Mr Hague will then travel on to Rangoon where he will have two meetings with Ms Suu Kyi - dinner and a second meeting at her home where she famously spent 15 years under house arrest.
Why the shift has occurred in Burma over the last year has many foundations. There is inevitably a struggle between hard-liners and reformers, but for now there is optimism that the shift is genuine.
One factor is the departure of hardliner General Thein Shwe. There are economic interests too as Burma wants to bring an end to the EU and US sanctions - like travel bans and asset freezes.
And Burma's shift comes against the context of the Arab Spring - it may have seen what has happened across the Middle East and North Africa and realised no regime in the world is infallible.