The American man jailed for visiting Burma’s detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to be deported from the country shortly.

Visiting US Senator Jim Webb said after meeting Burma’s (Myanmar’s) military ruler Than Shwe on Saturday that he would leave with John Yettaw on Sunday.

Senator Webb also met pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Mr Yettaw was jailed for seven years over the visit and Ms Suu Kyi’s house arrest was extended by 18 months.

The US state department has welcomed Mr Yettaw’s imminent release.

"It is my hope that we can take advantage of these gestures as a way to begin laying a foundation of goodwill and confidence-building in the future"

Senator Jim Webb

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Mr Yettaw’s wife, Betty, told the Associated Press that she had not received any official notice that he would be returning home.

"If it’s true, of course I’m extremely happy, and we’re ecstatic," she said by telephone from their home in Camdenton, central Missouri.

However, Burmese dissidents say Senator Webb’s trip could be seen as an endorsement of the poor treatment received by Ms Suu Kyi and more than 2,000 other political prisoners.

Senator Webb’s office said Mr Yettaw would be officially deported on Sunday morning and that the senator would bring him out of the country on a military aircraft that was returning to Bangkok.

After his arrest, Mr Yettaw, said he had been sent by God to deliver a warning to Ms Suu Kyi that she would be assassinated.

Senator Webb, who also asked for the release of Ms Suu Kyi, was the most senior US official to meet the Burmese leader, his office said.

"I am grateful to the Myanmar government for honouring these requests," he said in a statement announcing Mr Yettaw’s release.

"It is my hope that we can take advantage of these gestures as a way to begin laying a foundation of goodwill and confidence-building in the future," Senator Webb added.

‘Sacrifices’

Earlier, Ms Suu Kyi was taken to a state guesthouse near her home to meet Senator Webb, where the two held talks lasting about 40 minutes.

The Democratic senator described the meeting as "an opportunity for me to convey my deep respect to Aung San Suu Kyi for the sacrifices she has made on behalf of democracy around the world".

Ms Suu Kyi went on trial in May after Mr Yettaw swam to her lakeside home with homemade flippers, 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 part in planned elections next year.

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

Senator Webb, who chairs the Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee on East Asia and Pacific affairs, has previously called for more "constructive" US engagement with Burma.

He said in July that the trial of Ms Suu Kyi would make this difficult.

The UN Security Council expressed "serious concern" following Ms Suu Kyi’s conviction earlier this week and urged the release of all political prisoners, while the EU extended sanctions against Burma.

But Burma’s neighbour China said the world should respect its laws.

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.

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