how to get Python to insert special characters in an xml file?

[hackingKK]

Hello all.
I am currently developing a python application which reads and writes 
some data to an xml file.
I use the elementTree library for doing this.
My simple question is that if I have some thing like & as in "kk & 
company " as organisation name, how can I have Python take this as a 
litteral string including the & sign and put in the <orgname> </orgname> 
tag?
Even same applies while reading the file.  I would like to have the & 
come as a part of the literal string.
Happy hacking.
Krishnakant.