Visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy (NLD), in Yangon twice overnight.

Aung San Suu Kyi told the press after the second meeting with Clinton at her residence on Friday that Clinton's Myanmar visit is a "true engagement" with the government to promote the process of democratization in the country, and saying that it is the beginning of a "new future."

She said that Myanmar needed help from the international community including those from the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the United States to improve the fields of education, health and technology.

She expressed confidence that if all parties comprising the army, the government, the opposition and friends in the U.S. and all over the world work together, there will be no turning back from the road to democracy. However, she warned that "it is not on the road yet but hope to get it as soon as possible."

She called for release of political prisoners who are to be protected under law and end of internal ethnic fighting.

Clinton arrived in Nay Pyi Taw Wednesday afternoon on a three- day official visit to Myanmar representing the first trip by a U.S. secretary of state to the country in 50 years since 1955.

During the visit, Clinton had met with President U Thein Sein, Speaker of the House of Representatives U Shwe Mann, Speaker of the House of Nationalities and Union Parliament U Khin Aung Myint as well as Foreign Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin.

At the meeting, U Thein Sein expressed the confidence that engagement between the two countries would be promoted to the level of friendly relations and cooperation.

Clinton is accompanied by Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, Assistant Secretary of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner and U.S. Special Representative and Policy Coordinator for Myanmar Derek Mitchell.

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