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| Myanmar or Burma? Barack Obama call |
| Myanmar or Burma? Barack Obama calls it both on visit
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| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
, 19-November-2012
8:8:55 AM |
| Officially at least, America still calls this Southeast Asian nation Burma, the favoured appellation of dissidents and pro-democracy activists who opposed the former military junta's move to summarily change its name 23 years ago.
President Barack Obama used that name during his historic visit on Monday, but he also called Burma what the government and many other people have been calling it for years: Myanmar.
That single word was noted and warmly welcomed by top government officials here, who immediately imbued it with significance.
Myanmar presidential adviser Ko Ko Hlaing called the wording "very positive" and said it was an "acknowledgement of Myanmar's government," which has taken major steps toward easing repression and transitioning to democratic rule since the military stepped aside last year.
US officials could not immediately be reached for comment on whether Washington's policy would change. But that seemed unlikely to happen any time soon.
The issue is so sensitive that Obama's aides had said earlier Monday he would likely avoid mentioning either politically charged name. But he used both during his six-hour trip - "Myanmar" during morning talks with President Thein Sein, "Burma" afterward while visiting with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
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