US, Myanmar hold rare talks in China over Suu Kyi

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WASHINGTON, June 29 (AFP): The United States held rare talks with the Myanmar military junta in Beijing to press for the release of the Southeast Asian state's democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi, the State Department said Thursday.
At the China-brokered talks this week, US officials were "clear and direct" in demanding the release of the opposition leader and thousands of other political prisoners in Myanmar, spokesman Tom Casey said. The junta leaders however did not seem to relent, he said.
It was the highest level direct talks between the rival nations in recent years, with the US officials led by deputy US assistant secretary of state Eric John.
One US official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the discussions were "very pointed and very direct."
"I don't think we saw anything coming out of them that will indicate, unfortunately, that they have changed their basic opinions," Casey said of the junta leaders who attended the talks -- information minister Kyaw Hsan, foreign minister Nyan Win and culture minister Khin Aung Nyint.
"We certainly did not hear that they were planning on releasing Aung San Suu Kyi or other political prisoners," he said.
Myanmar requested the meeting and Beijing, instead of Yangon, was chosen as the venue because the junta refused to meet a key condition by Washington -- allow US officials to first meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent 11 of the past 18 years under house arrest, Casey said.
"The government of Burma often prefers that we would meet with them in Burma. Our longstanding policy is we will not meet them in Burma -- outside of our embassy offices -- if they will not allow us to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi," he said.
Myanmar has been ruled by the military since 1962.