英国首相卡梅伦出访缅甸

David Cameron has become the first British prime minister to visit Burma after arriving in the capital Nay¹ Pyi Taw.

大卫·卡梅伦抵达缅甸首都内比都，成为首位访问缅甸的英国首相。

He is due to meet President Thein Sein before travelling to Rangoon for discussions with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Earlier he praised Burma's moves towards democracy and said the UK may ease sanctions on the country.

This marks the final leg of his tour of East Asia promoting British interests.

Speaking on the tarmac（柏油碎石路面） as he arrived in the Burmese capital, Mr Cameron said its government had to demonstrate that moves to democracy were "irreversible".

He also said he wanted to meet Ms Suu Kyi, describing her as "a shining example for people who yearn² for freedom, for democracy, for progress".

Mr Cameron had stopped briefly³ in Singapore to meet its leader, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, before heading to Burma.

Burma was ruled for almost half a century by a military junta⁴ that stifled⁵ almost all dissent⁶（异议） and wielded⁷ absolute power. The EU, US and other nations imposed sanctions.

The first general election in 20 years was held in 2010. The installation of a military-backed nominally⁸ civilian⁹ government in March 2011 and a series of reforms since - including the release of hundreds of political prisoners - has led to speculation¹⁰ that decades of international isolation¹¹ could be coming to an end.

EU foreign ministers are to discuss policy towards Burma on 23 April.

Sanctions, which include an arms embargo¹², and an assets freeze imposed on nearly 500 people, are due to expire on 30 April. Earlier this year, the EU lifted travel bans on more than 80 senior officials, including the president.

If they are satisfied that recent steps taken by the government are likely to be sustained, they could ease certain financial sanctions.

The BBC's South East Asia correspondent Rachel Harvey, in Rangoon, said although the UK has a reputation within the European Union as being among the most cautious to the recent changes in Burma, the pace of reform in the country is impossible to ignore.

Mr Cameron will want to use his meetings to help shape Britain's position within that argument, she said.