Pelosi Statement on Bipartisan Delegation Visit to Burma

"In keeping with our delegation's priorities, we discussed security cooperation, human rights and trade. In all of our meetings, we emphasized President Obama's priorities for Burma: progress toward peace; free, fair and on time elections; constitutional reform; respect for religious and ethnic minorities; and human rights.

"Our delegation's visit comes as the Government of Burma and 16 ethnic armed groups signed this week a draft nationwide ceasefire to end more than 65 years of armed conflict in the country. While this is welcome news, our delegation encouraged a continuing commitment by the Government toward national reconciliation, and we reiterated our support for the peace process moving forward to a final ceasefire agreement.

"In our meeting with President U Thein Sein, our delegation emphasized the ‘11 Commitments' he made during President Obama's visit to Burma in 2012. Both in our meetings with President Sein and Speaker Thura u Shwe Mann, our delegation emphasized the need for this year's parliamentary elections to be free, fair and on time. We stressed the need for women's rights and workers' rights, and reiterated the United States' call for the immediate and unconditional release of the peaceful protestors who have been detained in Burma for exercising their right to peacefully assemble.

"In Rangoon this morning, our delegation was pleased to hear from representatives of Burmese civil society to discuss needed reforms, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and their efforts to ensure free and fair elections in Burma later this year.

"Our Members were graciously received by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi where we also discussed the critical nature of the upcoming elections: the shared concern that the ceasefire process is not used as an excuse to delay the fall elections, the need for broad participation of all segments of the Burmese people, and the importance of ensuring that all parties are able to compete on a level playing field."