U.S. diplomat meets Myanmar's Suu Kyi

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (UPI) -- The U.S. State Department confirmed a human rights negotiator met with Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to discuss the country's political reforms.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi, who spent years under detention, won a seat on the country's Parliament in 2011 elections. Her election followed a political reform process that started with a nationwide vote in 2010 in a country ruled formerly by military generals.

The U.S. State Department confirmed that Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights Michael Posner met in Naypyitaw with Suu Kyi, Attorney General Tun Shin and other high-ranking leaders.

"Topics for discussion included the government's recently announced political prisoner review process, religious freedom for ethnic minorities (and) the human rights situation in current and former conflict areas," the State Department noted.

U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Tomas Ojea Quintana last week briefed the United Nations on his recent trip to Myanmar. He said there were positive signs coming out of the country but added the "significant human rights shortcomings that remain unaddressed."

He called on the government to form a truth commission to address abuses committed by the previous junta.