US Officials to Travel to Myanmar for Talks

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration says U.S. officials plan to travel to Myanmar in the next few weeks to talk with representatives from the military-run government, ethnic minorities and the democratic opposition.

The trip is part of a reversal of the Bush administration's policy of shunning Myanmar in favor of direct high-level talks with the junta. The United States says tough sanctions will remain as it talks with Myanmar's generals.

Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell told lawmakers Wednesday that the United States is pleased that Myanmar officials have met with detained democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi twice in recent weeks and has allowed her to meet with foreign diplomats.

But he says that Suu Kyi should be allowed even more freedom.

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