U.S. officials to visit Myanmar

The United States will again send two senior officials to Myanmar this week to discuss a range of issues in the Southeastern Asian nation, the State Department said on Monday. Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor Michael Posner will visit Myanmar on Tuesday, followed closely the next day by Derek Mitchell, special representative and policy coordinator for Myanmar, who is a frequent visitor of the nation these days. In both Nay Pyi Taw and Rangoon, the pair will meet with senior government officials, representatives of international organizations, and civil society groups to discuss "a range of issues related to human rights and reform" in the country, the State Department said. The U.S. has sent a number of senior officials to Myanmar in recent months following what it called the Myanmar government's willingness to discuss American "core concerns" including human rights and political prisoners, which it said are "critical" to improving bilateral relations. Myanmar released 6,359 prisoners on Oct. 12, the second time after the new government took office on March 30. The first in May saw 14,758 prisoners released nationwide.