WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. says it is confident it has an "open channel" to raise human rights concerns with Myanmar after they held their first formal dialogue on the issue.
The meeting that concluded Wednesday in the Myanmar capital, Naypyitaw, reflects the rapid U.S. re-engagement with the country also known as Burma. Washington normalized diplomatic relations this year after a gap of two decades to reward democratic reforms.
Myanmar still holds hundreds of political prisoners and the military is accused of continuing, serious rights abuses.
The Pentagon was represented in the interagency delegation led by Michael Posner, the State Department's point man on human rights.
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland says the talks were very positive and Myanmar officials were willing to discuss a broad range of human rights issues.
