US senator in landmark Burma trip

US Senator Jim Webb has arrived in Burma on a visit during which he is to meet military ruler Than Shwe.

He would be the most senior US official to meet Than Shwe, the Democratic senator's office said in a statement.

His visit comes days after pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was given 18 more months of house arrest.

Adding to international condemnation, the UN Security Council has expressed its "serious concern" and the EU extended its sanctions against Burma.

Mr Webb, who is close to US President Barack Obama, is due to meet Than Shwe on Saturday, a Burmese official said.

He is not expected to meet Ms Suu Kyi or American John Yettaw, whose uninvited visit to her home led to the trial which ended on Tuesday.

Mr Webb chairs the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific affairs.

'Watered-down' statement

Ms Suu Kyi was put on trial in May after Mr Yettaw swam to her lakeside home, evading guards. She was charged with breaking the terms of her house arrest by sheltering Mr Yettaw and after many delays, was sentenced on Tuesday to three years in prison.

Although the sentence was commuted to 18 months house arrest by Than Shwe, it ensures the opposition leader cannot take in planned elections next year.

Ms Suu Kyi, 64, has spent 14 of the past 20 years under house arrest.

A UN Security Council statement on Thursday expressed "serious concern" at the sentence and urged the release of all political prisoners.

Correspondents said the statement was watered down from an original US draft, which "condemned" the verdict and demanded that Burma's military junta free Ms Suu Kyi.

The main reason for the weaker language was China - a powerful permanent member of the council, with close ties to Burma's rulers, says the BBC's Tom Lane at the UN.

Together with Russia it has blocked strongly-worded condemnations in the past, our correspondent adds.

The US, Britain and France were among countries to condemn the verdict, but Burma's neighbour China said the world should respect Burma's laws.

The EU said judges involved in Ms Suu Kyi's sentencing would now join military and government figures in having their overseas assets frozen and travel to the EU banned.

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who is the current chairman of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) told the BBC that imposing sanctions could lead to problems and that it was important to take a balanced approach to dealing with Burma.

The BBC.