U.S. envoy in rare talks with Suu Kyi, meets Myanmar PM

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell also met Myanmar's prime minister as the administration of President Barack Obama seeks a new era of engagement with the military regime.

Suu Kyi met Campbell at a luxury hotel in Yangon, the first time she had appeared in front of the media other than at her home or in prison since the current period of her house arrest began in 2003.

Dressed in a pink and maroon traditional outfit, the 64-year-old opposition leader smiled but did not speak as she headed into the talks with the U.S. diplomat and his deputy Scot Marciel.

"Am I beautiful when I smile?" Suu Kyi joked later with the media when the talks ended after two hours.

Earlier this year journalists saw her in prison at her trial for harbouring an American man who swam to her house, but they were not allowed to take pictures and the only images were released on state television.

The junta extended her house arrest by another 18 months in August after she was found guilty, effectively ruling her out of elections due in 2010 that critics say are a sham.

Suu Kyi has spent most of the last two decades in detention. The most recent period of her house arrest began in 2003 after pro-junta forces launched a deadly attack on her convoy during a political campaign.

Campbell and Marciel earlier Wednesday held talks with Prime Minister Thein Sein in the remote administrative capital Naypyidaw, Myanmar officials said on condition of anonymity, without giving details.

Myanmar officials said the U.S. delegation was not expected to meet reclusive junta leader Than Shwe. State media said that when the U.S. envoys arrived he was in southern Myanmar inspecting aid efforts after last year's Cyclone Nargis.

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