Saturday, July 2, 2011

Australia's Kevin Rudd in Burma

Kevin Rudd and Thein Sein.
NAY PYI TAW, 1 July- President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar U Thein Sein received an Australian delegation led by Minister for Foreign Affairs the Honourable Kevin Rudd MP at the President Office here this afternoon.

Also present on the occasion together with President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar U Thein Sein were Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin, Union Minister at the President Office U Soe Maung, Director-General U Min Zaw of the President Office, Director-General U Tin Myo Kyi of the Union Government Office and Director-General U Kyaw Kyaw of the Protocol Department under the Ministr of Foreign Affairs.

The visiting Australian delegation led by Minister for Foreign Affairs the Honourable Kevin Rudd MP was accompanied by Australian Ambassador to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar Ms. Bronte Moules.

Kevin Rudd and Khin Aung Myint.
Above was the story direct from yesterday Myanmah Ahlin Newspaper. Australia's official line for Rudd's visit was mainly to meet Aung San Su Kyi.

But the rumors in Burma are that Thein Sein wouldn't let Rudd meet ASSK. But it was bloody obvious now that our Kevin was willing  to meet  every important general or ex-general in Burma before meeting poor ASSK.

In addition to President Thein Sein Kevin met Parliament Speaker Khin Aung Myint and Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin at their respective offices.

Maybe our famous Kevin 07 was checking out how a  semi-democracy or a functional democracy (from Thein Sein own speech) is doing in a place like Burma where people had been killing each other in the longest running civil war since their colonial masters English were forced to give them independence in 1948.

President Thein Sein meeting Kevin Rudd in front of Old Burmese Imperial Throne.