Dr. Yan Myo Thein - The story of the NLD party and the president after 2015

Friday, August 19, 2011, was an important date in Myanmar’s political history. At 4 p.m. that day, the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, U Thein Sein, received Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at the Presidential Office in the Presidential Palace.

The news that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had left Myanmar on August 19, as planned by the government, was particularly exciting news for the Burmese people. Initial reports indicated that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was traveling to Nay Pyi Taw on August 19, 2011, to attend a national workshop on reforms for the country’s economic development held at the Myanmar International Convention Center in Zambuthiri Township, Nay Pyi Taw Council Area. President U Thein Sein will also attend the national workshop, and political observers have speculated that an informal meeting between President U Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi could take place during the event.

In the afternoon, there were reports that the opening ceremony of the workshop was delayed due to a meeting between President Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Later, there were reports that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi did not attend the opening ceremony of the workshop. At that time, a foreign news agency reported that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was traveling to Nay Pyi Taw on the government's agenda to meet with the President.

August 19 was a day of great excitement for political observers and journalists. The 8pm news on Myanmar Radio and Television brought joy to the entire public with its joyful images. In front of a black T-shirt with the words "National Leader General Aung San" written on it and a photo of General Aung San, President U Thein Sein received and met with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the only daughter of National Leader General Aung San.

During the meeting, President U Thein Sein explained the government's actions in the interests of the country and the ethnic people in a friendly manner. In addition, President U Thein Sein and I had a cordial and open discussion on the potential for cooperation in common interests that would truly benefit the country and the people.

The President’s office also displays photos of former presidents of Myanmar. Indeed, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visited Nay Pyi Taw at the invitation of President U Thein Sein to meet with the President on a government-sponsored basis. The next day, she attended the workshop at the invitation of Dr. U Myint, the President’s advisor. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s visit to the administrative capital of Nay Pyi Taw as a special guest of the Union Government, her meeting with President U Thein Sein, and her informal meeting with some Union ministers and businessmen after attending the workshop are considered by observers to be the most significant developments in Myanmar’s political history since 1988.

International perspective

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the first meeting between President Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, while European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton recognized the meeting between President Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi as an important step towards reconciliation among the Burmese people and a positive step towards national reconciliation.

US Senator John McCain also welcomed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to Nay Pyi Taw and her meeting with the President in Nay Pyi Taw. McCain also said that it would mark the beginning of a process of genuine and meaningful national reconciliation and dialogue between the Burmese government and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the US government welcomed the meeting, calling it a positive step, and urged the US government to continue to take concrete steps towards progress and national reconciliation in line with the international community's priorities, including the release of prisoners of conscience.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's view

Speaking to reporters before returning to Yangon after attending the National Workshop on August 20, 2011, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi expressed her happiness and satisfaction at having met with the President. She also told reporters that she hopes to have the opportunity to meet with President U Thein Sein again.

National League for Democracy spokesman U Nyan Win told reporters that he hoped a better understanding would be reached and that Aung San Suu Kyi's meeting with President U Thein Sein would be the first step towards national reconciliation.

On August 22, 2011, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi met with the Central Executive Committee of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and explained the meeting with President Thein Sein. At the meeting, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said that it was the beginning of a process of cooperation with the government. On August 22, 2011, the NLD issued a statement, stating that the NLD Central Executive Committee welcomed and supported the statements of the Myanmar News Agency and the General Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi regarding the meeting between President Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

According to the statement, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi listened with interest to the papers read at the national workshop on reforms for the country's economic development, and was also pleased to have informal meetings with Union Cabinet ministers during a break in the workshop.

During the break at the national workshop, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had an informal meeting for thirty minutes with Union Ministers for Industry (1) and (2) U Soe Thein, Union Minister for Railways U Aung Min, Union Minister for Labour, Social Welfare and Resettlement U Aung Kyi, Union Minister for Border Affairs and Member of the National Defence and Security Council General Thein Htay, President’s Economic Advisor Dr U Myint, and Professor Retired of the University of Economics Daw Yi Yi Myint. In addition, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi also met with President of the Union of Myanmar Chamber of Commerce and Industry U Win Aung, Vice President U Hla Maung Shwe, and President of the Myanmar Football Federation U Zaw Zaw, according to the photo report.

U Win Tin, a member of the National League for Democracy's central executive committee, also told news outlets that relations between them and the government have improved.

Caution and review

President U Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi are watching. Veteran ethnic politicians welcomed the meeting with caution. Some observers believe that the meeting could lead to a broader and more meaningful political roundtable discussion. They also believe that practical developments should be made quickly. They also believe that the Union Government should start the process of national reconciliation in a practical way by releasing prisoners of conscience as soon as possible.

We will cooperate in various fields.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is the original owner of the idea of ​​collaborating across all sectors in common interests that will truly benefit the country and the people, and therefore, she is not interested in politics.