Australian envoy speaks with detained economist in Myanmar

Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne said on Thursday the country's envoy to Myanmar had spoken with Sean Turnell, the economist and adviser to deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Turnell said on Saturday he was being detained, the first known arrest of a foreign national since the Feb. 1 military coup that overthrew Suu Kyi's elected government.

Amid concern about Turnell's welfare, Payne said Australia's ambassador to Myanmar has now spoken with the economist.

"Our Ambassador and professor Turnell discussed his health, welfare and the conditions in which he is being detained," Payne said in an emailed statement.

Turnell is a professor of economics at Macquarie University in Sydney and has been advising Suu Kyi on economic policy for several years. Australia earlier this week called for his immediate release.

Separately on Thursday, a close aide to ousted Myanmar leader Suu Kyi was detained in a new wave of arrests following last week's military coup, a party official said, as Washington moved a step closer to imposing sanctions on the junta.