Webb plans to hold hearing on Myanmar

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., who just returned from a two-week trip to Southeast Asia, says he plans to hold a hearing on U.S. relations with Myanmar.

Webb, who also visited Vietnam and Thailand, was the first member of the U.S. Congress to travel to the country formerly known as Burma in a decade and the first U.S. official ever to meet Senior Gen. Than Shwe, the country's leader. He also met Aung San Suu Kyi, the opposition leader who has been under house arrest almost continuously for years, and was able to secure the release of Jon Yettaw, a U.S. citizen convicted of illegally visiting Suu Kyi.

The senator is chairman of the East Asia and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

The hearing will focus on the effect of U.S. economic sanctions against Burma, which have not been matched by other countries, a statement from Webb's office says. Webb also wants to look at possible new direction for U.S. policy toward Myanmar that could be more effective in bringing democratic change.