YANGON; Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi hopes US president Barack Obama will make a surprise stop-over in Myanmar next week to endorse her landslide victory in the country's historic elections.
The re-scheduling of Mr Obama's visit to south-east Asia to include Myanmar would send a powerful message to the country's army chiefs that they must allow a peaceful transfer of power to Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.
The army ignored a landslide win by the party in 1990 and implemented a brutal crackdown that saw Ms Suu Kyi kept under house arrest for 15 years.
The 70-year-old Nobel laureate has won a stunning victory with her party obtaining up to 80 percent of votes in last Sunday's election, a result that will shape the future of the country that was ruled for half a century by despotic army generals.
Officials of Ms Suu Kyi's party have held talks with US officials about the possibility of Mr Obama being the first world leader to personally congratulate her, according to sources close to the NLD.
Mr Obama is set to visit the Philippines for a summit of leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and later to fly to Malaysia for a summit of East Asia leaders.
The Obama administration has led world support for Myanmar after a quasi-civilian government began implementing economic and social reforms in 2012.
Two years ago Mr Obama became the first US president to visit the country in a show of confidence in the opening of the country that is one of Asia's poorest.
The US began lifting economic and other sanctions in 2012.
But Myanmar's reform process stalled soon after, prompting criticisms that the US and other Western nations like Australia were too quick to reward the government stacked with former generals.
As it became clear that Ms Suu Kyi's party had decimated the military-backed ruling party, the US welcomed the result but warned that "important structural and systematic impediments" to full democratisation remain in the country that for decades has been a close ally of China.
US secretary of State John Kerry said the election has the potential to be an important step towards greater peace, prosperity and democracy for the people of Burma, referring to the country's other name.
Mr Kerry said the US "remains committed to supporting the people of Burma in their pursuit of democracy, development, and national reconciliation going forward".
The re-scheduling of Mr Obama's visit to south-east Asia to include Myanmar would send a powerful message to the country's army chiefs that they must allow a peaceful transfer of power to Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.
The army ignored a landslide win by the party in 1990 and implemented a brutal crackdown that saw Ms Suu Kyi kept under house arrest for 15 years.
The 70-year-old Nobel laureate has won a stunning victory with her party obtaining up to 80 percent of votes in last Sunday's election, a result that will shape the future of the country that was ruled for half a century by despotic army generals.
Officials of Ms Suu Kyi's party have held talks with US officials about the possibility of Mr Obama being the first world leader to personally congratulate her, according to sources close to the NLD.
Mr Obama is set to visit the Philippines for a summit of leaders of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and later to fly to Malaysia for a summit of East Asia leaders.
The Obama administration has led world support for Myanmar after a quasi-civilian government began implementing economic and social reforms in 2012.
Two years ago Mr Obama became the first US president to visit the country in a show of confidence in the opening of the country that is one of Asia's poorest.
The US began lifting economic and other sanctions in 2012.
But Myanmar's reform process stalled soon after, prompting criticisms that the US and other Western nations like Australia were too quick to reward the government stacked with former generals.
As it became clear that Ms Suu Kyi's party had decimated the military-backed ruling party, the US welcomed the result but warned that "important structural and systematic impediments" to full democratisation remain in the country that for decades has been a close ally of China.
US secretary of State John Kerry said the election has the potential to be an important step towards greater peace, prosperity and democracy for the people of Burma, referring to the country's other name.
Mr Kerry said the US "remains committed to supporting the people of Burma in their pursuit of democracy, development, and national reconciliation going forward".
