U.S. envoy meets Myanmar pro-democracy leader

Aung San Suu Kyi

By John Raedler
CNN Correspondent

BANGKOK (CNN) -- A U.S. State Department official has met with Myanmar's pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, and says she is "committed to peaceful dialogue" with Myanmar's military government.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Ralph Boyce talked with the Nobel Peace Prize winner at her house in the capital Yangon on Monday.

It was the first meeting between a U.S. official and Aung San Suu Kyi since she was restricted to her house last September -- a situation the Myanmar Deputy Foreign Minister described to CNN as being "not under detention."

A U.S. Embassy official in Yangon described Boyce's meeting with the democracy advocate as "substantial."

Private dialogue

"She appeared to be in good health. And she is committed to peaceful dialog [with the government] and hopes it will lead to national reconciliation and democracy for the people of Burma," the U.S. official quoted Boyce as saying.

Aung San Suu Kyi and the military government have been conducting a private dialog, fostered by a U.N. special envoy, since last October.

Neither side has revealed details of the discussions -- even to a European Union delegation which met with them in late January.

In a rare assessment of the dialogue from a Myanmar government official, Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Maung Win told CNN at the weekend: "We are quite satisfied with way the ongoing process is going on and ... it is going quite smoothly."

In an exclusive interview, the deputy minister said the talks would "definitely go on" -- without a deadline.

It was not immediately clear if Boyce learned any of the dialog's details in his meetings. He also met with the government's so-called "Secretary One," Lt.-Gen. Khin Nyunt, Foreign Minister Win Aung and leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy.

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