This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18529727#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Aung San Suu Kyi set to address Parliament | Aung San Suu Kyi set to address Parliament |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| The Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will be given the rare honour of addressing both Houses of Parliament later on Thursday. | The Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi will be given the rare honour of addressing both Houses of Parliament later on Thursday. |
| She will deliver her speech in Westminster Hall, an honour normally only accorded to heads of state. | She will deliver her speech in Westminster Hall, an honour normally only accorded to heads of state. |
| It is her first trip to Britain since leaving 24 years ago to lead Burma's pro-democracy movement. | It is her first trip to Britain since leaving 24 years ago to lead Burma's pro-democracy movement. |
| It has emerged that the government has also invited the leader of Burma's military-backed regime to visit the UK. | |
| Later Ms Suu Kyi will meet the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall and hold talks with the prime minister. | |
| She met David Cameron in April when he became the first Western leader to visit Burma after the country's military leaders decided to allow her and her party to stand in parliamentary elections. | She met David Cameron in April when he became the first Western leader to visit Burma after the country's military leaders decided to allow her and her party to stand in parliamentary elections. |
| Since then, he has championed the suspension of international sanctions against Burma arguing that new President Thein Sein is genuinely committed to reform. | Since then, he has championed the suspension of international sanctions against Burma arguing that new President Thein Sein is genuinely committed to reform. |
| However, Foreign Secretary William Hague - who will hold his own talks with Ms Suu Kyi - cautioned in the Commons on Wednesday that there was "still a long way to go" to bring democracy to Burma and end ethnic conflicts. | However, Foreign Secretary William Hague - who will hold his own talks with Ms Suu Kyi - cautioned in the Commons on Wednesday that there was "still a long way to go" to bring democracy to Burma and end ethnic conflicts. |
| On Wednesday, Ms Suu Kyi accepted an honorary civil law doctorate from Oxford University. | On Wednesday, Ms Suu Kyi accepted an honorary civil law doctorate from Oxford University. |
| In a speech she said her memories of her time in Oxford had helped her while she was under house arrest. | In a speech she said her memories of her time in Oxford had helped her while she was under house arrest. |
| Ms Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest in Burma for more than two decades, received the advanced degree - 19 years after she was awarded it. | Ms Suu Kyi, who was under house arrest in Burma for more than two decades, received the advanced degree - 19 years after she was awarded it. |
| The Nobel Laureate read philosophy, politics and economics at St Hugh's College Oxford in the 1960s. | The Nobel Laureate read philosophy, politics and economics at St Hugh's College Oxford in the 1960s. |
| She worked in New York and Bhutan before settling back in Oxford in the 1980s with her husband, Tibetan scholar Michael Aris, and their sons Alexander and Kim. | She worked in New York and Bhutan before settling back in Oxford in the 1980s with her husband, Tibetan scholar Michael Aris, and their sons Alexander and Kim. |
| She became the leader of Burma's pro-democracy movement when she returned to Burma in 1988, initially to look after her sick mother. | She became the leader of Burma's pro-democracy movement when she returned to Burma in 1988, initially to look after her sick mother. |
| Ms Suu Kyi, now 67, was placed under house arrest by the military and not released until November 2010. | Ms Suu Kyi, now 67, was placed under house arrest by the military and not released until November 2010. |
| Her two-week-long tour to Europe - her first since 1988 - includes visits to the UK, Switzerland, France and Norway. | Her two-week-long tour to Europe - her first since 1988 - includes visits to the UK, Switzerland, France and Norway. |
| Incentive | |
| Meanwhile on Thursday, BBC foreign correspondent Fergal Keane tweeted that the Burmese government had confirmed it had received an invitation to visit the UK and was "planning to discuss" it. | |
| Our correspondent said the invitation to President Thein Sein is both a reward and an incentive. | |
| He said: "The government is keen to recognise his courage in pushing ahead with political liberalisation, reducing censorship and - just this week - promising a fairer economic deal for all Burmese. | |
| "But it is also keen to see renewed negotiations between the president and Aung San Suu Kyi at a time when an upsurge in ethnic violence has reminded all sides of the danger of political instability." | |
| Our correspondent said: "I understand no date has yet been set for the visit. However the expectation is that the president will come later this year. This would be the first visit by a Burmese head of state to the country's former colonial ruler in half a century." | |
| President Thein Sein is a former general who now leads a military-backed party which won the majority of seats in the 2010 general election - a poll boycotted by the party of Ms Suu Kyi. | |
| She has spoken warmly of the president in the past, saying he is a man she trusts in negotiations. |