In two decades as Burma’s democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has become a symbol of calm, reason and adamantine stubbornness. Her stand against the junta has deprived her of her freedom, sons and dying husband. So what is the significance of her offer to the junta to discuss sanctions?

Several factors lie behind it. The most important is the shift from the Bush Administration, which disliked dealing with dictators as a matter of principle, to President Obama.

Mr Obama stated early on his willingness to hold out a hand to anyone who would take it in good faith. One of the results of this has been a US policy review on Burma, announced last month, offers direct dealings with the regime and the inducement of an end to sanctions.

It does not go as far as the unconditional dropping of sanctions that some support — the argument being that by holding back from full engagement with Burma the West simply gives a head start to less morally fastidious nations.

This is not an approach that Ms Suu Kyi would support. However, she seems to have accepted that sanctions should be treated as a negotiating chip.

It reflects a recognition that many observers have come to since protests were crushed: in the absence of a response from the junta any fresh approach is better than none at all.

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