U.S. | historic visit to Burma Obama's Asian tour, more symbolic than fruitful

It sounded great on paper Win reelection traveling to Asia, is supported by almost all world leaders and return home with some reward in the form of strategy. But the first trip of the U.S. President, Barack Obama, has not gone exactly as planned. I had the opportunity to sign a good foreign policy both a historic visit to Burma, showing that it intends to strengthen ties with nations that have so far been considered a bit like the "backyard" of China. But if your intention is to strengthen relations with Asia, the president has witnessed first hand the difficult reality of these places and the enormous influence that China has in the region. He has had to divert their attention to the Middle East, where increasedviolence in the Gaza Strip. If that was not enough, Obama have constantly reminded what awaited him on his return to the White House-a controversial tax reform-. This has turned his three-day Asian tour on a symbolic journey profitable. Asian leaders have congratulated him on his reelection and value their intention to strengthen ties with Asia, but no more. None seems to make concessions. The meeting with the Chinese premier Wen Jiabajo, who will step down next year, has not paid off either in relation to economic issues.

President Requests

Obama has urged Asian leaders to reduce tensions in the South China Sea and elsewhere, objects territorial disputes, but tempered his rhetoric has not been as hard as it was with Pekon on his last visit to Asia last year. The White House says that, behind closed doors, Obama demanded that Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, to improve on human rights, but there was no promise by the other party. But it was the conflict in Gaza which has overshadowed the president's visit. After dinner on Monday with Asian leaders, Obama was until 2.30am the phone to monitor the situation between Israelis and Palestinians.