Obama calls for further reforms in Burma

London, Nov 19 (ANI): US President Barack Obama has urged Burma's leaders to continue the reform process, saying more progress is needed in the country.

Obama has begun a historic visit to Burma, the first by a sitting US president.

The visit is intended to show support for the reform process put in place by Burmese President Thein Sein since the end of military rule in November 2010.

According to the BBC, speaking in the Thai capital, Bangkok, on Sunday, Obama said his visit was not an unqualified endorsement of the Burmese government.

"I don't think anybody is under any illusion that Burma's arrived, that they're where they need to be," the report quoted him, as saying.

"On the other hand, if we waited to engage until they had achieved a perfect democracy, my suspicion is we'd be waiting an awful long time," he added.

According to the report, Obama will spend only a short time in Burma and will not visit the capital, Nay Pyi Taw.

Instead his time will be spent in Burma's commercial capital, Rangoon, meeting both Thein Sein and the leader of the opposition, pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Obama will also give a speech at Rangoon University, at the heart of pro-democracy protests in 1988 that were violently suppressed by the regime, and is expected to announce an aid pledge worth 170 million dollars. (ANI)