Obama urges progress in Myanmar ahead of rare roundtable

YANGON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama urged Myanmar's government to make every effort to conclude a national ceasefire and protect the rights of minorities, just hours before the country's president and the military chief met opposition political parties and ethnic minority groups.

Some critics are calling Friday's hastily arranged get-together an attempt to burnish Myanmar's image ahead of a visit by Obama next month, his second to the country.