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Aung San Suu Kyi has been fighting for democracy, reform and freedom in Myanmar, or Burma, for more than 20 years, most of that time spent under house arrest. 

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Now she's free. She's a member of Myanmar's parliament, and on Saturday, she claimed her Nobel Peace Prize, an award granted 21 years ago. 

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I spoke with Aung San Suu Kyi from Oslo.

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I just want to start by asking you... firstly, congratulating you on your Nobel Peace Prize, of course, asking you how you feel about being in Europe? 

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Everything has changed since the last time you were out of your country. 

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The Berlin Wall was up back then, and now everything's changed. How does it seem to you?

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I've been trying to find out whether it's a place that has changed or whether it's me that has changed. And I think there have been changes in both directions.

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What is your feeling of peace in the world? What is the theme and the message you have for the world at this time, 

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because, really, the eyes of the world are on you as an icon of democracy?

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My attitude towards peace is rather based on the Burmese definition of peace. It really means removing all the negative factors that destroy peace in this world. 

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So, peace does not mean just putting an end to violence or to war, but to all other factors that could threaten peace, 

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such as discrimination, such as inequality, poverty and other negative factors.

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I'm in Cairo, as you know, and it's right in the middle of the presidential elections. 

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I wonder how it strikes you that not only has Europe changed since you were last there, but the whole of the Arab world as well, and is longing for democracy.

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Do you... are you able to sort of take that in, and do you have any thoughts about that?

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Yes, of course, we've been keeping track of the Arab Spring. 

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And it really proves that we're all the same, that we're all human beings who want peace, who want freedom, who want security, who want to be free from want and fear. 

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So it makes me feel closer to the rest of the world.

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Do you believe that a spring came to Burma? Is that what happened in your country or was the opening up to democracy a different way?

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The opening is there, but we've got to make sure that we are able to make the best use of this opening. 

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This is just the beginning. There is still a very long way to go and I want to... 

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everybody to know that there is this long way ahead, and we shouldn't take everything for granted.

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Indeed, in your most recent comments -- you have been in Thailand -- and I think you said... 

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you said to your audience that there shouldn't be a sort of a state of reckless optimism about what's happening in your country. What did you mean by that?

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Well, I think if we think of the word "reckless," the meaning will become clear. 

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Recklessness means that you don't consider all the factors that need to be considered, that you're not cautious enough.

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And optimism which is . . . which does not take into consideration the possible challenges that will have to be met can be dangerous, 

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because you will not be prepared to deal with the obstacles that are going to spring up in all directions as you go down a new road.

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So what are you actually worried about? 

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Because you also did say that investors should have sort of a healthy skepticism about investing immediately or grandly in Burma. 

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What is the most concerning to you at the moment about that?

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I worry about the wrong sort of investments, the kind of investments that will empower the wrong sort of circles.

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I've always said that investments should empower the people.

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I would be very unhappy about the kind of investments which will make a few privileged people more and more privileged.

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May I ask you a personal question, ma'am? You gave up so much. You sacrificed so much for your country and for your people. 

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You were not able to visit your husband before he died. You also were separated for a long time from your children.

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Can you tell me how that affected you and what you were thinking at those crucial times when you were under house arrest?

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I always considered the fact that I was actually more fortunate than many of my colleagues, who were not only in prison, where conditions were much harsher than conditions in my house, 

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although I was under house arrest, and the fact that their families were always in danger themselves, 

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whereas although my family were separated from me, they were living in a free, democratic country.
