Obama gov't 'is more open'

WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama's policies on secrecy get higher grades for openness than those of former president George W. Bush, yet there's still room for improvement, says a coalition of public interest groups.

In a report issued yesterday, the coalition says the new administration has made major strides toward more disclosure, including the recent release of Justice Department memos on Bush administration interrogation policies and Obama's embrace of greater openness under the Freedom of Information Act.

The report noted, however, that the government has resisted release of photos from Army interrogation investigations; has not backed away from occasional use of the state secrets privilege; and has argued in court for secrecy regarding the role of former vice-president Dick Cheney in the Valerie Plame affair.