Barack Obama arrives in Singapore tonight, beginning a policy of engagement with regional bodies which is intended to draw a line under the George W. Bush years, write Kevin Brown in Singapore and Edward Luce in Tokyo.

But the new approach, which includes the first-ever meeting between a US president and the heads of the 10-member Association of South East Asian nations, is potentially hazardous. Since Burma is a member of Asean, Mr Obama will be the first US president to meet Thein Sein, Burma’s prime minister and a member of the ruling junta.

US officials yesterday declined to answer questions about whether Mr Obama would try to avoid being in a photograph with Mr Sein. “We’re not going to discuss photos that haven’t been taken,” said a senior official.

The officials added that the Obama administration had chosen to engage with the Burmese, while maintaining tight economic sanctions, in the hope of restoring democracy to the country when it holds what are expected to be rigged elections in 2010.

Human Rights Watch, the US-based campaign group, urged Mr Obama to make human rights in Burma, and the region, his top priority. “Obama should encourage them to unite in a strong statement of support for real democratic reforms,” said Elaine Pearson, deputy Asia director of HRW.