US Still Hopes Better Relation With Myanmar

US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell and his deputy Scot Marciel met with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and Prime Minister Thein Sein during their two-day visit to Myanmar.

In a public forum held on Thursday in Bangkok, Thailand, Marciel told that they were willing to move ahead in terms of bilateral relations but they were only going to do that if there was real progress.

Marciel also stated that the United States wanted to see the release of Nobel laureate Suu Kyi and other political prisoners, improvements in human rights and democratic reform ahead of elections promised by the Myanmar military regime in 2010.

He continued expressing that it was "essential" that the opposition leader be allowed regular opportunities to interact with her National League for Democracy (NLD) party.

He stressed the need for this dialogue within Myanmar to include the country’s ethnic groups as well as the government and opposition.

The trip was a follow-up action to discussions in New York in September between US and Myanmar officials.