"We see it as an important step that responds to the aspirations of the Burmese people," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said of the release in Myanmar, which is also known as Burma.
"We have not yet seen a complete list. We do believe that there is still a large number of political prisoners in prison, and we call for all of them to be released," Nuland told reporters.
The opposition in Myanmar expressed disappointment with a much-anticipated amnesty that left most key dissidents behind bars.
The regime pardoned about 200 political prisoners, according to pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi`s National League for Democracy (NLD) party, but kept most of its roughly 2,000 political detainees locked up.
Nonetheless, Nuland said "this is an important step, and we are... continuing to talk to the Burmese government and others about these issues."
The Obama administration -- which has pursued a dual-track policy of engaging diplomatically with Myanmar while retaining sanctions against it -- has welcomed signs of political change in the country.
President Barack Obama`s administration last month praised Myanmar`s president Thein Sein for halting the construction of a $3.6 billion dam, saying it showed the military-backed leadership was listening to its people.
Senator John Kerry, chairman of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said "Burma`s president has taken a positive step by releasing hundreds of prisoners who were simply championing democracy.
"President U Thein Sein`s move is the most recent sign that he and his advisers seem to be distancing themselves from the failed policies of the past," he said.
"In the coming days, we will be watching closely to see how the released political prisoners are treated, and whether or not this development was an isolated decision or a broader movement that includes the release of all prisoners detained on political charges." (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
