国际英语新闻:Myanmar confirms release of some 23 remaining prisoners

YANGON, May 17 (Xinhua) -- The Myanmar government on Friday released some 23 more remaining prisoners under a fresh amnesty order of President U Thein Sein, the state TV confirmed.

The prisoners, whose prison terms were cut, were freed on the day before U Thein Sein was about to head for Washington on his first official visit to the United States.

The president office's order said the move was made in view of ensuring peace and stability and lasting peace of the state, national reconciliation, inclusiveness in political process and turning the prisoners to ones who take their fair shares in state building.

The release followed the 93 freed in April this year and 518 in last November.

So far, a total of 29,691 prisoners have been pardoned since the new civilian government took office on March 30, 2011.