Releases, U.N. visit boost Myanmar hopes

Despite improvements the movements of Aung San Suu Kyi remain restricted

YANGON, Myanmar -- Myanmar's opposition party has expressed optimism over talks with the ruling military following the release of two leaders from house arrest.

The arrival in Yangon of United Nations special envoy Razali Ismail to mediate the talks has buoyed opposition hopes of improving ties with the military government.

Only Nobel peace laureate and figurehead of the pro-democracy movement, Aung San Suu Kyi, remains under a de facto house arrest, nearly a year after opposition party members were detained for defying a travel ban.

The U.N. envoy's arrival followed the release of two top NLD leaders -- Chairman Aung Shwe, 83, and Vice-Chairman Tin Oo, 75 -- since a renewed crackdown by the military in September last year.

"I am more optimistic about the talks (with the military). I feel we are gaining more understanding," Tin Oo told Reuters news agency.

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"The release of political prisoners is rather slow. Aung San Suu Kyi also feels like this and we are all looking forward to seeing Mr Razali."

Other party members also said they were optimistic about a fresh round of shuttle negotiations with the ruling military.

"We are very happy about the release (of Tin Oo and Aung Shwe). It sure will improve our optimism about the success of the talks," said an NLD official recently freed from detention by the ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

"There are some more political prisoners, including our leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who should be released," he said.

Razali, who last visited in June, was met by senior foreign ministry officials and was scheduled to hold talks at the foreign ministry in the early afternoon.

The current crop of Myanmar's generals came to power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy movement. They called general elections in 1990 but ignored the results, which had given a resounding victory to Aung San Suu Kyi's party.

The subsequent suppression and harassment of the NLD and its political activities have attracted widespread criticism of the military junta in the West.

Goodwill gesture

Western diplomats in Yangon have said the move to free the two was a goodwill gesture from the government ahead of Razali's visit.

The agenda for his visit has not been made public but is likely aimed at monitoring the progress of talks that he helped start between Aung San Suu Kyi and the junta in October.

The start of the confidential talks was welcomed by foreign countries, many of which regard Myanmar as a pariah state.

But no clear signs of progress have emerged from the talks, and there has been persistent speculation that they have hit an impasse.

More releases

Aung San Suu Kyi, Aung Shwe, Tin Oo and six other central committee members of the NLD were put under de facto house arrest after the NLD leader defied a travel ban by trying to go to Mandalay, Myanmar's second largest city, September 22 last year.

The six other committee members were released December 1 but Aung San Suu Kyi remains confined to her lakeside home.

The government does not call the detentions house arrest, but the opposition leaders have not been allowed free movement.

Tin Oo first was confined to a government guest house and then moved to his own house in January, not long after Razali revealed that Aung San Suu Kyi and the junta had begun talks.

There had been speculation that more political prisoners would be released before and during Razali's visit.

The easing of restrictions means Aung Shwe and Tin Oo will be free to leave their homes, although they are expected to be kept confined to Yangon.

Olive branches

The releases are the latest move by the government, which has offered several olive branches since the talks began.

They have freed more than 150 detained NLD members and allowed the party to re-open some of its offices.

The international community hopes Razali will find evidence of progress in his latest visit.

Razali is expected to meet senior government leaders and representatives of ethnic groups during his visit, and also to hold talks with Aung San Suu Kyi.

Razali, a veteran Malaysian diplomat, is one of only a handful of diplomats who have been allowed access to the NLD leader since she was placed under de facto house arrest last year.

Reuters contributed to this report.