Laura Bush, Myanmar's Suu Kyi have first talk

WASHINGTON, Dec 17, 2010 AFP - Former US first lady Laura Bush said Friday she had spoken for the first time with Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and called her an "inspiring champion for human freedom.""This morning I spoke for the first time with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. I was heartened to hear the strong voice and enthusiasm of such an inspiring champion for human freedom," Laura Bush said in a statement.

"She never lost hope or stopped believing in a free Burma. I am encouraged Daw Suu has been released and look forward to the day when she and the people of her beloved country live in freedom," said Bush.

Suu Kyi, who spent 15 of the last 21 years locked up, was freed by Myanmar's military rulers from her most recent seven-year stretch of detention on November 13.

US President Barack Obama's administration launched a dialogue with Myanmar's military rulers last year after concluding that Western attempts to isolate the regime had yielded little success.But it has said it will only lift sanctions in return for progress on democracy and other concerns.

After years of espousing punitive steps against the ruling generals Suu Kyi has shown signs of softening her stance on the measures, although she has said little about the issue since her release.Suu Kyi has welcomed the renewed US engagement with Myanmar but warned against "rose-colored glasses", saying greater human rights and economic progress were still needed. Her party won a 1990 election but was never allowed to take power.