Burmese officials say President Thein Sein is heading to Europe Monday for high-level European Union talks, as the former rogue state deepens ties with the West.
Officials say Thein Sein will first fly to Norway, followed by Finland, Austria, Belgium and Italy.
Topics expected to be on the agenda are sanctions, development aid, economic reforms, Burma's human rights recordand efforts to negotiate peace in ongoing internal conflicts.
The EU responded last April to a string of reforms under the Thein Sein administration by suspending all sanctions except an arms embargo, while the U.S. has dismantled many of its key trade and investment sanctions.