TORRANCE, California (AFP) — The White House on Wednesday called for Myanmar's military rulers to open a "meaningful" dialogue "immediately" with the country's democracy icon, Aung San Suu Kyi.
While US officials said they were pleased the Nobel Peace Prize winner had been able to make contact with the world through a spokesman, they were disappointed at her message.
"We're disappointed to hear, however, that there has been no progress on a meaningful time-bound dialogue," between Suu Kyi and the military junta that rules Myanmar, said White House spokesman Tony Fratto.
"The regime has refused to offer any time-frame for commencement of a dialogue."
The US comments came after democracy icon, through a spokeswoman, had said that Aung San Suu Kyi was "not satisfied" with her talks with the junta, which have yielded few results after three months.
The Nobel peace prize winner, who has been under house arrest for 12 of the last 18 years, made the statement during a rare meeting with top members of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party.
"We once again call on the regime, as called for in the October 11th UN Security Council presidential statement, to begin a time-bound dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and all relevant parties, including ethnic minorities, immediately," Fratto said.
US President George W. Bush traveled here as part of a three-day swing to raise money for his Republicans ahead of November elections.
Fratto had earlier told reporters that "the US government has heard from" Aung San Suu Kyi without offering details.
But US National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe later clarified the statement to say that "'we' means all of us in the world.
"We all heard from her spokesman who met with her, and relayed a message to the world from her," he said.
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