Yangon , Myanmar ( CNN ) -- The Myanmar government , which has freed hundreds of detainees in recent years , is setting up a committee to look into releasing political prisoners after long refusing to admit they were being held in the Southeast Asian country 's jails . President Thein Sein , whose government has introduced a string of political reforms that have led to improved ties with Western nations , ordered the establishment of the committee to define the term `` political prisoner '' and review relevant cases , authorities said Thursday . Terrorized , starving and homeless : Myanmar 's Rohingya still forgotten . Myanmar is gradually emerging from decades of authoritarian military rule that resulted in internal oppression and international isolation . Thein Sein , a former military official , has overseen the introduction of greater political freedoms , peace talks with ethnic rebels and the successful participation of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her party in legislative elections . Western governments have responded by easing economic sanctions and stepping up diplomatic ties . In November , President Barack Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Myanmar , giving a powerful symbolic nod to its fledgling reforms . Friday , the United States welcomed news of the committee 's formation . `` By establishing an inclusive , transparent review mechanism to ensure the release of all remaining political prisoners , the government has taken an important step towards national reconciliation , '' State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said . From Burma to Myanmar : Land of rising expectations . Doubts still remain about the commitment to lasting reform by officials in Myanmar , also known as Burma , in the light of sectarian unrest in the western state of Rakhine , recent fighting between the military and ethnic rebels in Kachin , and a heavy crackdown on protesters outside a copper mine project . A stumbling block in talks . One stumbling block the Myanmar government has come up against in talks with other political parties and governments is its refusal to use the term `` political prisoner '' to describe some of those behind bars , according to Ye Htut , a spokesman for the president . Myanmar : Testing the limits of reform . `` We can not negotiate because of this term , '' he said by phone . `` That 's why President Thein Sein instructed to form this committee to find the definition . '' The government , which pledged to set up such a mechanism during Obama 's visit , says it hopes the committee will include representatives from other political parties and groups representing political prisoners . The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners ( AAPP ) , a prisoner rights and support group , said the government had invited it to help with the committee 's work . The initiative is `` a good sign , '' said Bo Kyi , joint secretary of AAPP , which is run by former political prisoners . But he added that `` we have to wait and see until more political prisoners are released . '' Hundreds believed to still be in prison . Aung San Suu Kyi spent many years under house arrest before authorities released her in 2011 . A lot of members of her party , the National League for Democracy , were imprisoned under the military junta . The new committee will try to determine the the number of political prisoners being held in Myanmar , Ye Htut said , noting that the government had received different estimates from different organizations . `` The president also wants to release more political prisoners to implement national reconciliation , '' he added . As many as several hundred political prisoners remain behind bars in Myanmar , Human Rights Watch , a U.S.-based advocacy group , said in a report last week . Furthermore , it said , `` freed political prisoners face restrictions on travel and education , and lack adequate psychosocial support . '' Asked whether he would visit political prisoners around Myanmar , Bo Kyi of AAPP said he would rather `` see my colleagues outside , not in the jails . '' Journalist Phyo Wai Lin reported from Yangon , and CNN 's Jethro Mullen reported and wrote from Hong Kong . CNN 's Kocha Olarn in Bangkok , Thailand , contributed to this report .
NEW : United States lauds ` ` important . '' A prisoner group says it has been invited to work on the project . Iran long refused to acknowledge political prisoners in its courts . Human Rights Watch estimates that hundreds of political prisoners remain behind bars .