Congressional Gold Medal for Aung San Suu Kyi
United States Congress will present Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi its highest civilian honour, the Congressional Gold Medal.
Officials said the ceremony is scheduled to take place Sept 19 during Suu Kyi's visit to the United States.Suu
Kyi is a Nobel Peace laureate and former political prisoner who was
unable to leave her home country for more than two decades.The
opposition parliament leader recently was greeted enthusiastically
during trips to Thailand and Europe.
In addition to the congressional award, Suu Kyi will be presented with
the Atlantic Council's Global Citizen Award on Sept 21 in New York.
The
State Department said Suu Kyi would be invited for meetings with US
government officials during her visit. Suu Kyi, elected in April, will
be feted for her long struggle against military rule in her homeland and
for championing democracy.
She is revered by Republicans and Democrats, has been a guiding force in US policy toward Myanmar over the past two decades, and has been supportive of the Obama administration's engagement of the reformist Myanmar President Thein Sein.
The US recently suspended investment sanctions that had been in force against Myanmar for 15 years.
Suu Kyi cautiously supported that move, but it did expose a rare difference between her views and those of the US government.
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