Burma opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi visiting UK

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is due to arrive in the UK, where she is due to meet members of the Royal Family and address Parliament.

 

 

Aung San Suu Kyi's visit to the UK will include a visit to Oxford, where she lived for a number of years

Ms Suu Kyi will begin her tour at the London School of Economics and is set to meet the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall later in the week.

It is part of her first tour of Europe since 1988.

The pro-democracy leader spent much of the last 24 years under house arrest in Burma. She was freed in late 2010.

Her two-week-long trip - seen as another milestone for Burma's political progress - includes visits to the UK, Switzerland, France and Norway.

It is her second recent overseas trip, after visiting Thailand in May.

Her decision to travel has been seen as a sign of confidence in the government of President Thein Sein, who has pursued a course of reform since coming to power last year, in Burma's first elections in 20 years.

Earlier this month Ms Suu Kyi gave her Nobel Peace Prize speech in Oslo more than 20 years after being awarded the prize.

She chose not to travel to Norway's capital in 1991 to collect her prize in person fearing she would not be allowed to return to Burma.