BALI, INDONESIA : The impending visit to Burma by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is a demonstration of Washington's recognition of positive changes taking place under the Naypyidaw government, US President Barack Obama told Asean leaders Friday.
Mr Obama and the Southeast Asian leaders held a "very positive and very productive" discussion on Burma, officials attending the Asean-US meeting told the Bangkok Post.
The US hopes more changes will come along in areas such as the rule of law, human rights, relations with ethnic minorities and political prisoners.
The president also said that if the changes continue, by 2014 every partner will be happy to welcome Burma's chairmanship.
Before arriving at the summit, Mr Obama said that "after years of darkness, we've seen flickers of progress in these last several weeks".
"We want to seize what could be a historic opportunity for progress and make it clear that if Burma continues to travel down the road of democratic reform, it can forge a new relationship with the USA."
Mrs Clinton's visit to Burma, reportedly on Dec 1, would be the first by a US Secretary of State in more than 50 years.
In 1962, a military coup resulted in Burma coming under military rule that only ended in March this year when a nominally civilian government was established.
Before making his announcement on Burma, Mr Obama first sought assurances from democracy leader and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
She spent 15 years under house arrest by the nation's former military dictators but is now in talks with the new government about reforming the country.
The two spoke by phone on Thursday night while Mr Obama was flying to Bali on Air Force One, a senior US administration official said.
During his meeting with the Asean leaders, Mr Obama said, however, the changes in Burma so far were not enough.
Burma's President Thein Sein thanked Mr Obama for recognizing the changes taking place and said he looked forward to welcoming Mrs Clinton.
Indonesian President Susilo Yudhoyono expressed appreciation for Mr Obama's decision.
"We too do not want a reversal of the situation in [Burma]. We want to see more," said Mr Yudhoyono.
"We want to see Aung Sang Su Kyi playing a role in the reconciliation process. We keep in touch with Gen Than Shwe and Aung Sang Suu Kyi. We want to see more progress too."
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra offered to help Burma as "a close neighbour".
The US official said that at the end of the meeting there was a long handshake between President Thein Sein and Mrs Clinton. The two delegations were seated next to each other during the Asean-US Summit meeting.
"Asean has taken time and care to deliberate on the issue of Burma's chairmanship in 2014 just to make sure the political reconciliation and reforms gain enough momentum so as to avoid any risk of reversal," Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said.
In response to President Obama's decision, Mr Surin said Asean had been expecting some reciprocal movement from the international community for the positive developments inside Burma.
Mr Surin said the US's decision was welcome and would contribute to reconciliation in Burma. "Secretary Clinton's visit will help accelerate that momentum of change, widen its spectrum and deepen its substance."
The US administration sees Mrs Clinton's visit as a sign of success for Mr
Obama's policy on Burma, which was outlined in 2009 and focused on punishments and incentives to get the country's former military rulers to improve dire human rights conditions.
Washington imposed sanctions on Burma but made clear it was open to better relations if the situation changed.
