BANGKOK: Myanmar opposition icon Aung San Suu Kyi has asked for a meeting with the chief of the ruling junta, her party said Monday, a day after US President Barack Obama directly urged the regime to free her.

Her National League for Democracy (NLD) confirmed that she had written a letter to the regime on November 11 asking to meet the reclusive Senior General Than Shwe, but would not reveal its exact contents or to whom it was addressed.

A number of websites run by exiled Myanmar activists carried a purported copy of the Burmese-language letter, which was addressed directly to Than Shwe.

“She wrote that she wanted to cooperate for the benefit of the nation and asked to be allowed to explain some facts to the Senior General,” NLD spokesman Nyan Win said.

“We will release the full text of the letter tomorrow (Tuesday) morning. I can’t confirm whether the letter spreading on the websites was exactly the same. I heard about this, but I can’t say whether it was true.” The copy of the letter carried on the websites said: “I specially request a meeting with the Senior General to make a submission regarding cooperation with the State Peace and Development Council for the benefit of the nation.” The State Peace and Development Council is the official name for the military regime in the country, formerly known as Burma.

Suu Kyi has been in detention for 14 of the last 20 years and had her house arrest extended by a further 18 months in August after being convicted over a bizarre incident in which a US man swam to her lakeside house.

The 64-year-old met with a minister from the regime in October and the junta allowed her to meet the highest level US diplomats to visit the country for 14 years.

Obama used a landmark encounter with Myanmar prime minister Thein Sein at a regional summit on Sunday to demand freedom for Suu Kyi.