18 November 2012 Last updated at 21:58 ET
Obama-mania has hit Rangoon ahead of the US president's visit
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US President Barack Obama is beginning 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.
Ahead of the visit Mr Obama urged Burma's leaders to continue to reform, saying more progress was needed.
Critics warn the visit could be too hasty, with political prisoners behind bars and ethnic conflicts unresolved.
'No illusions'The US president will spend only a short time in Burma and will not visit the capital, Nay Pyi Taw.
Continue reading the main story [h=2]“Start Quote[/h]
Jonathan Head BBC News, Rangoon
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.
Mr 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 $170m (£107m).
Speaking in the Thai capital, Bangkok, on Sunday, he 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," he said.
Continue reading the main story[h=2]Reform in Burma[/h]
"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.
Thein Sein's government came to power after widely-criticised polls in November 2010 that saw military rule replaced with a military-backed civilian government.
Since then - to the surprise of many - his administration has embarked on a reform process. Many - but not all - political prisoners have been freed, censorship has been relaxed and some economic reforms enacted.
Ms Suu Kyi was freed from house arrest shortly after the polls. Her NLD party, which boycotted the elections, has since rejoined the political process. It now has a small presence in parliament, after a landslide win in by-elections deemed generally free and fair in April.
In response, many Western nations have relaxed sanctions against Burma and begun a process of engagement.
But rights groups have cautioned against a rush to embrace the South East Asian nation, warning that political prisoners remain behind bars and ethnic conflicts are unresolved.
In recent months, bitter communal violence between Muslim Rohingyas and Buddhist Rakhine people in Rakhine state has left more than 100,000 people - mostly Muslim Rohingyas - displaced.
A recent prisoner amnesty reportedly included no political prisoners. The Burmese government has since announced another one which, say activists, does include some political detainees.
After visiting Burma, Mr Obama will head to Cambodia to join a meeting of the Association of South East Asian Nations, in a trip that underlines the shift in US foreign policy focus to the Asia-Pacific region.
Continue reading the main story
US President Barack Obama is beginning 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.
Ahead of the visit Mr Obama urged Burma's leaders to continue to reform, saying more progress was needed.
Critics warn the visit could be too hasty, with political prisoners behind bars and ethnic conflicts unresolved.
'No illusions'The US president will spend only a short time in Burma and will not visit the capital, Nay Pyi Taw.
Continue reading the main story [h=2]“Start Quote[/h]
Campaigners are asking why such an important visit had to happen so soon, apparently before Mr Obama's people had secured any concessions from the Burmese government”
End Quote
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.
Mr 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 $170m (£107m).
Speaking in the Thai capital, Bangkok, on Sunday, he 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," he said.
Continue reading the main story[h=2]Reform in Burma[/h]
- 7 Nov 2010: First polls in 20 years
- 13 Nov: Aung San Suu Kyi freed from house arrest
- 30 Mar 2011: Transfer of power to new government complete
- 19 Aug: Aung San Suu Kyi meets President Thein Sein
- 13 Oct: New labour laws allowing unions passed
- 23 Dec: Suu Kyi-led NLD registers as political party
- 13 Jan: Highest-profile political prisoners freed
- 1 April: NLD wins 43 out of 45 seats in polls, generally seen as fair
- 23 April: EU suspends most sanctions for a year
"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.
Thein Sein's government came to power after widely-criticised polls in November 2010 that saw military rule replaced with a military-backed civilian government.
Since then - to the surprise of many - his administration has embarked on a reform process. Many - but not all - political prisoners have been freed, censorship has been relaxed and some economic reforms enacted.
Ms Suu Kyi was freed from house arrest shortly after the polls. Her NLD party, which boycotted the elections, has since rejoined the political process. It now has a small presence in parliament, after a landslide win in by-elections deemed generally free and fair in April.
In response, many Western nations have relaxed sanctions against Burma and begun a process of engagement.
But rights groups have cautioned against a rush to embrace the South East Asian nation, warning that political prisoners remain behind bars and ethnic conflicts are unresolved.
In recent months, bitter communal violence between Muslim Rohingyas and Buddhist Rakhine people in Rakhine state has left more than 100,000 people - mostly Muslim Rohingyas - displaced.
A recent prisoner amnesty reportedly included no political prisoners. The Burmese government has since announced another one which, say activists, does include some political detainees.
After visiting Burma, Mr Obama will head to Cambodia to join a meeting of the Association of South East Asian Nations, in a trip that underlines the shift in US foreign policy focus to the Asia-Pacific region.