It was supposed to be a day of rest – Tuesday 28 November – with the planned institutional meetings and the speech before the political authorities of the country. But Francis accelerated the times and this afternoon in the palace of the Archbishopric of Yangon he met with the Burmese military leaders.
Commander-in-chief of defence, General Aung Hlaing paid a courtesy visit to his guest. He was accompanied by a small delegation of Lieutenants: Tun Tun Tun Naung, Than Tun Oo and Soe Hut, all serving at the Bureau of Special Opera-tions. Colonel Aung Zaw Lin, as transcriber, and a translator of the Burmese Catholic Church were also present.
Defence, Interior and border control, three key ministries of the Government of Myanmar are in the hands of the military.
At the end of what the Vatican authorities have called “courtesy visit,” there was an exchange of gifts: the Pope gave a pontificate medal and the general gave a Burmese harp in the shape of a boat and a decorated rice bowl.
