Burma's Leader Aung San Suu Kyi has given a
speech at the UN in Geneva, which commenced her visit to
Europe. She spoke at the UN's International Labour Organisation, which has
spearheaded a long-term campaign against child and slave labour in Burma.
This is her first visit to Europe since 1988. Suu Kyi spent
much of the past 24 years under house arrest in Burma.
During her speech, Suu Kyi thanked the international community
for trying to reach out to her country, which has been long isolated due to its
military dictatorship. She said: "The international community is trying very
hard to bring my country into it and it's up to our country to respond the right
way."
In the course of her two week tour, Suu Kyi will visit the UK,
Switzerland, Ireland, France and Norway, where she will accept her 1991 Nobel
Peace Prize.
Speaking before the trip in Burma, Suu Kyi said she expected
the tour to be a novel experience. She noted: "Each country will be
different. I will know how backward [Burma] is when I reach the other
countries."
Suu Kyi has spent much of the past two decades under house
arrest as a political prisoner. But as part of Burma's recent reform process,
she was freed in late 2010 and won a seat in parliament in by-elections in April
this year.
The fact that Suu Kyi is travelling shows great promise for
change in Burma, spurred by the government of President Thein
Sein, who has pursued a course of reform since coming to power last
year.
Sources: BBC News, AFP, Reuters
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