Bishop heads to Burma and Lao PDR
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will meet Aung San Suu Kyi on her first official visit to Burma and the Lao People's Democratic Republic this week.
In Burma, Ms Bishop will meet President U Thein Sein and other members of the Myanmar government, as well as Ms Suu Kyi, chairman of the National League for Democracy, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights.
Ms Bishop will reaffirm Australia's support for the reform process and talk about the importance Australia places on finding a peaceful resolution to ethnic and sectarian unrest, particularly in Rakhine state where there are significant security concerns and humanitarian needs.
Support for education, economic development and empowerment of women will be key priorities during her visits to both countries, Ms Bishop says in a statement.
In Lao PDR, she will discuss regional issues ahead of Laos' chairmanship of ASEAN in 2016 as well as exchange ideas with women in leadership roles, in business and politics, about advancing women's economic empowerment in Laos.
