Burmese Prime Minister Gen Thein Sein told Asian leaders at a Thailand summit that the detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi can contribute to national reconciliation, according to Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

"He (Thein Sein) briefed us on some of the dialogue that is taking place and he feels optimistic that she can contribute also to the process of national reconciliation," said Abhisit in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin during a three-day summit of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), also attended by Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Australian and New Zealand leaders.

Abhisit’s statement came a day after Japanese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kazuo Kodama quoted Thein Sein as saying that if Suu Kyi maintained "a good attitude," the Burmese junta would consider relaxing the conditions of her house arrest.

This is believed to be the first time a Burmese junta leader has officially discussed Suu Kyi and the national reconciliation issue at an Asean summit. At previous meetings, any attempt to raise the issue resulted in a blank refusal by the Burmese representatives to discuss the matter.

As a result, Asean leaders were seized by a mood of optimism. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: "There was an atmosphere of hope that the leadership is moving towards normalizing its relationship with the US [and] that next year's election should see a reconciliation of the various segments of Myanmar (Burmese) society."

However, it would be wrong to interpret Thein Sein’s reported comments to mean that the junta will allow Suu Kyi any role in the general election planned for next year.

Suu Kyi is still detained at her lakeside residence after being sentenced to a further term of 18 months by a Rangoon court in August. The regime has never loosened its restrictions on the activities of her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD). In the past six years, Suu Kyi has been granted a total of only seven hours and 25 minutes to discuss state affairs with members of the NLD executive committee.

Of course, it must be encouraging news to learn that Suu Kyi had separate meetings recently with Aung Kyi, the labour minister and official liaison between her and the regime, and Rangoon-based Western diplomats.

The Japanese foreign ministry’s spokesman quoted the Burmese prime minister as saying at the Asean summit that Suu Kyi appeared to have “softened her attitude to the Myanmar (Burma) authorities.” Thein Sein had also said "the US seems to have softened its position on Myanmar [Burma],” the spokesman said.

The meeting with Western diplomats discussed the sanctions issue, and came after Suu Kyi wrote to junta leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe saying she wanted to work together with the regime to end the sanctions. The flurry of activity in Rangoon followed the US administration announcement that it hoped to engage the Burmese military junta in a dialogue.

The US is planning to send a fact-finding delegation to Burma soon to continue talks begun in September in New York with senior Burmese officials, the first such high-level contact in nearly a decade. The talks are regarded in Washington as an effort to pursue deeper engagement with the junta to try to urge democratic reform.

It is believed that Kurt Campbell, the assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific Affairs, who is the Obama administration’s point man for the new US-Burma policy, will lead the delegation, provided the junta allows access to Suu Kyi and other opposition leaders.

Currently the Burmese regime seems to be regaining points lost in its weakening diplomatic offensive that followed the absurd trial of Suu Kyi for giving refuge to the American John W Yettaw. 

However, the regime's promises must be treated with skepticism because of its persistent failure to keep its word. The next few months will be a testing period for Burmese generals—if they really want to gain trust, they need to match their words with actions.

In this regard, the ruling generals must immediately release Aung San Suu Kyi, other NLD leaders and all political prisoners; must allow the NLD and other opposition parties to function normally as political parties; grant every citizen freedom of speech, movement and association; and start political dialogue between the government, the democratic opposition and the ethnic minorities to reach a shared vision about the way forward in Burma.

Then the planned 2010 elections will indeed become part of the process of national reconciliation.