US Assistant Secretary for Conflict and Stabilization Operations Rick Barton is currently visiting Burma to discuss US government efforts to help communities in the country’s landmine-affected areas, the US State Department announced. It said Barton arrived last Friday and is scheduled to leave on March 24. He will meet with civil society groups, mine action experts, ethnic groups and political leaders. “These efforts aim to build trust through mine risk education programs and support to survivors of landmine incidents,” the State Department said. Most landmine-affected areas are situated in Burma’s border regions and are a result of long-running ethnic conflict.