US Ambassadeor to Brunei, Mr William E Todd.

Honolulu - Aloha! I am in Hawaii attending an Ambassadorial conference with many US Ambassador and senior State Department officials. I have also met with senior US military commanders and advisors for the Pacific region.

It has been very productive time and I wanted to update you this week. In addition, while I enjoy reading Brunei's newspapers, I also read local blogs and news websites and I would like to address some concerns that were recently raised about travel to the US. As always, I welcome your questions and suggestions at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Before answering this week's questions, I would like to congratulate the various Nobel Prize winners. The US is especially pleased that the winners for Medicine were from the US. As important, they represent one of the great strengths of the US, which is an environment that encourages scientist and scholars to come and live and work within our country. As you may know, one of the winners was born in London and another is a dual US and Australian citizen.

Q: I have seen and appreciate your efforts to promote the US, including travel and tourism but I am concerned that entering the US is difficult and people are often stopped because of their last name or due to other reasons.

This is a very valid question and one that concerns not only the US State Department but also our Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In addition, the large number of Americans who depend on tourism for their jobs are also concerned when we see comments like this. There is no question that the US has changed our border security policies. However, this does not mean that visitors to our nation should be treated with anything less than full professional courtesy, whether it is when you are applying for a visa at a US Embassy or entering the US at a port of entry.

The US welcomes visitors to our nation, and yes, we do not mind if you spend a little money as well. Ours is an open and free nation. It's in our very nature, but we must also ensure that this freedom is safeguarded. Once inside the US, you are free to travel whenever and where you choose. We do not have border crossings at our states lines. Our national borders are where we must do our very best to ensure that those who enter are coming to enjoy the United States and not for potentially nefarious reasons.

The procedures we use are always evolving but one of the core principles is that they apply to all visitors, even returning US diplomats. When I pass through US Customs I go through the same procedures any other visitor would. The US Government is required to perform a variety of security checks, including looking at a person's name and it is possible the checks may cause some inconvenience. However, I would offer that a moment's delay to double check is worth it. Expediency cannot override security, in the same way that security cannot sacrifice customer service and fairness.

We want you to visit and I think you will find that we are a warm and friendly people and that our nation has lots to offer. For example I can tell you that if you have not been to Hawaii, you are missing one of the world's great treasures.

Q: Would you like to comment more on the recent dialogue between US and Burmese officials?

This is something that is of keen interest for us all in the Asia-Pacific region. Our government launched a review of our current Burma policy about seven months ago. We recognise that conditions in Burma are deplorable and neither isolation nor engagement when implemented alone had led to improvements. This review was taken in close consultation with Congress, the international community, and a wide range of stakeholders, including the National League for Democracy. For the first time in memory, the Burmese leadership has shown an interest in engaging with the US.

We intend to engage in direct dialogue with Burmese authorities to lay out a path to better relations. We will address issues of democracy and human rights, cooperation on international security issues such as non-proliferation and areas that are of mutual benefit such as counter-narcotics and recovery of World War II remains. Lifting of sanctions will not occur until action has been taken on our core concerns. At the same time, we will continue our commitment to the Burmese people by expanding humanitarian assistance to the extent we are confident the assistance will reach the people in need.

We will continue to carefully evaluate the 2010 elections and will stress to the Burmese the conditions that we consider necessary for credible electoral process. We will continue to work with the international community on these efforts. We have already started, including meetings between senior State Department officials and Burmese authorities. We know the process will be long and difficult and we are prepared to sustain our efforts beyond the 2010 elections. These efforts may take time but the US is ready to commit for the long term.

I'd like to say I look forward to watching the Brunei Barracudas in action soon. As many of you know, I am a big sports fan and look forward to seeing some good hoops here in Brunei. As always, I hope you have a safe and enjoyable weekend and I really look forward to being back in Brunei very soon. Aloha.  -- Courtesy: US Embassy

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