Hillary Clinton Starts Historic Burma Visit

Hillary Clinton arrived in Burma’s capital of Naypyidaw today, kicking off the first visit by a US secretary of state to the country in more than 50 years. Clinton says her goal is to see for herself how serious Burma’s junta is about its halting steps toward democratic reform, according to the AP. “We and many other nations are quite hopeful that these flickers of progress ... will be ignited into a movement for change,” she said.

Clinton will meet with top Burma officials tomorrow, before traveling to Yangon on Friday to meet opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Clinton hasn’t said what specifically she’ll discuss, but officials say she intends to press Burma’s leaders to allow UN nuclear inspectors into the county, and to release all their political prisoners. Clinton will likely offer something in return, but it’s unclear what; lifting sanctions would require congressional approval, the Telegraph points out. (More Hillary Clinton stories.)