British foreign secretary starts Myanmar visit

British Foreign Secretary William Hague arrived in Nay Pyi Taw Thursday on an official visit to Myanmar to observe the latest development of the country, according to official sources from the new capital. It is the first visit by a British foreign secretary to Myanmar since 1955. During the two-day visit until Friday, Hague, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, will meet Myanmar President U Thein Sein, Speaker of the parliamentary House of Representatives U Shwe Mann and his Myanmar counterpart U Wunna Maung Lwin in Nay Pyi Taw as well as Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the Natioal League for Democracy (NLD), ethnic minority leaders and other democratic activists in Yangon, sources with the British Embassy said. Hague's visit follows British International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell's visit to Myanmar in mid-November last year. Britain has pledged 185 million pounds (289 million U.S. dollars) over three years to fund health and education projects in Myanmar through non-governmental organizations, the sources added.