WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- The United States welcomed Myanmar's decision to grant amnesty of 9,000 prisoners on Tuesday, saying it is "a very positive development."

    "We hope it's a first step in a process," State Department deputy spokesman Robert Wood told reporters.

    "We continue to call on the Burmese regime to release all political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi and to move the country down the path towards democracy," he said.

    A total of 9,003 prisoners, including some political dissidents, were granted amnesty and released, Myanmar official mass media reported Tuesday.