Obama’s historic visit to Myanmar

President Obama  extended “the hand of friendship” as the country emerges from five decades of harsh authoritarian rule, but cautioned that the young democracy has “much further to go.”

“Instead of being repressed, the right of people to assemble together must now be fully respected,” the president told a subdued crowd at a well-maintained auditorium in an otherwise crumbling building at the University of Yangon. “Instead of being stifled, the veil of media censorship must continue to be lifted. As you take these steps, you can draw on your progress.”

Showcasing one of the foreign policy accomplishments of his first term, Obama praised the “dramatic transition” that Myanmar has made as he attempts to lock-in the nation’s reforms and encourage additional progress.