The U.S. State Department says Burma's military regime and its policies may pose increasing risks to the region if it fails to make genuine progress toward democracy and national reconciliation.
A spokesman Kurtis Cooper for the State Department Thursday said U.S. officials remain concerned about the political and human rights crisis in Burma. He said the United States will continue to call for the release of all political prisoners in Burma, as well as for dialogue between the government and leaders of the democracy movement.
The spokesman said UN Special Envoy to Burma Ibrahim Gambari met with several U.S. State Department officials in Washington earlier this week.
Gambari's talks focused on promoting a political dialogue that includes Burma's democratic reform groups and ethnic minorities.
Gambari, of Nigeria, was previously the UN undersecretary for political affairs before being named UN special envoy for Burma in May of this year.
