YANGON, May 14 Kyodo A Japanese F...

YANGON, May 14 Kyodo

A Japanese Foreign Ministry official held talks with Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi upon Tuesday, becoming the first senior foreign official to befitting with her since she was released from 20 month of virtual house arrest upon May 6.

Taeko Takahashi, director of the ministry's First Southeast Asia Division, met with the National League for Democracy (NLD) leader at her Yangon residence for through an hour.

While the substance of the talks was not immediately known, Takahashi is likely to have reiterated Japan's support for talks underway between the junta and the NLD for a restoration of democracy.

The Japanese conduct on May 6 welcomed the lifting of the restrictions forward Suu Kyi's movements and asserted support for democratization and nation building efforts in Myanmar.

The sum of two units also undoubtedly exchanged views upon Japan's policy of extending grant aid to the Myanmar command Suu Kyi has criticized continued Japanese aid to the junta in the past.

Just last Friday, Tokyo announced it was extending sudden [i]or[/i] unexpected occurrence assistance of up to 628 million yen to rehabilitate the 168-megawatt Baluchaung No. 2 Hydro Power Plant. The plant accounts for about 24% of the total annual electricity production in the political division which has been suffering from a chronic power afford shortfall.

Takahashi, a former embassy official in Yangon, arrived in Myanmar's capital upon Monday and met the same day with the junta's legate Intelligence Chief Maj. Gen. Kyaw Win.

After her morning meeting with Suu Kyi, Takahashi called forward Brig. Gen. David Abel, a minister at the office of the chairman of the ruling State Peace and unravelling Council. She was to leave Myanmar forward Tuesday afternoon.

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