"If a press statement from the US Department of Defense is to be believed, President Barack Obama is quite pleased with the reform process underway in Myanmar, especially recent progress ??that?s been made on human rights??. The message was conveyed by US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel in late August when he met with his counterparts from the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Brunei, including Lieutenant-General Wai Lwin, the current defense minister of Myanmar, a former pariah state turned darling of the West. But there was an important caveat in Hagel?s statement that indicated Washington?s main concern in Myanmar is not democracy and human rights. Rather, he stressed ??it?s important that Myanmar sever ties with North Korea??. Evidently Myanmar has not rolled back relations with Pyongyang despite persistent pressure from Washington, including during then secretary of state Hillary Clinton?s historic visit to Myanmar in December 2011, and believed behind-the-scenes prodding from Japan and South Korea..."