U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan says he welcomes Burma's reported release of 249 political prisoners, but still urges the release of all Burma's political prisoners and the reopening of the offices of the National League for Democracy.
Mr. Annan's statement came after an NLD spokesman said the prisoners were released from jails all over Burma on Wednesday. He told VOA that there is word that journalist Win Tin, Burma's longest-serving prisoner of conscience, may have been released -- but that news is unconfirmed.
Meanwhile, the United States has repeated its call for the release of Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
And a human rights group the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners says it has learned that at least five Burmese citizens were arrested last Saturday for listening to broadcasts from the VOA and the BBC.
