`ASEAN's moves on Suu Kyi's detention will depend on RI'<\/p>\n
Agencies, Langkawi, Malaysia\/Yangon<\/p>\n
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is waiting for
\nincoming head Indonesia to propose further action to pressure
\nMyanmar to release detained prodemocracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi,
\nthe organization's secretary general said on Thursday.<\/p>\n
But Indonesia said it would not rush into making new
\nsuggestions on the issue and would not act without the backing of
\nthe 10-member grouping.<\/p>\n
ASEAN, which has a core policy of not interfering in domestic
\nissues of member countries, last month took the unprecedented
\nstep of urging Myanmar's military junta to release Suu Kyi, who
\nwas detained on May 30 after clashes between her supporters and
\nprogovernment demonstrators in northern Myanmar.<\/p>\n
The statement came amid rising international condemnation of
\nSuu Kyi's detention, which has escalated further with moves by
\nthe United States, the European Union and Britain to impose
\nsanctions, and Japan's decision to suspend aid.<\/p>\n
The junta says Suu Kyi is being held for her protection, but
\ncritics claim her detention is part of a crackdown on the
\nopposition by the ruling generals and a retreat from their
\npromise to pursue democratic reforms.<\/p>\n
Speaking while attending an ASEAN energy ministers meeting in
\nMalaysia, ASEAN Secretary General Ong Keng Yong said it was
\nwaiting for Indonesia to take the lead on the issue of Suu Kyi's
\ndetention.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia is chairing the ASEAN committee this year,\" Ong
\nsaid. \"We'll have to wait for Indonesia to take the lead.\"<\/p>\n
Indonesian foreign ministry's spokesman Marty Natalegawa said
\nJakarta accepted the responsibility of leading ASEAN's stand on
\nthe issue, but stressed the country needed the organization's
\nsupport.<\/p>\n
\"The chair cannot act on its own,\" Natalegawa said.
\n\"We don't want to rush for the sake of being seen of doing things
\nthat we know will not be effective,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Natalegawa said Indonesia was following up a proposal for
\nASEAN to send a delegation to Myanmar, also known as Burma, a
\nproposal first made at last month's ASEAN leaders' meeting in
\nCambodia.<\/p>\n
But sanctions are not an option being considered, he said.<\/p>\n
In another development, the International Committee of the Red
\nCross said on Thursday it was optimistic Myanmar's military
\nrulers would allow it to meet detained Suu Kyi.<\/p>\n
Michel Ducreaux, the ICRC's representative in Myanmar, told
\nReuters he had heard a rumor Suu Kyi had been moved from the
\ncolonial era Insein prison on Yangon's northern outskirts to a
\n\"more appropriate\" location but could not confirm it.<\/p>\n
\"We are still trying to get access and I think we have good
\nprospects and I hope it will happen,\" Ducreaux said.<\/p>\n
Ducreaux said an ICRC team had returned to Yangon on Wednesday
\nafter going to central Myanmar to visit 30 opposition leaders
\ndetained along with Suu Kyi on May 30 following a clash between
\nher supporters and members of a projunta group.<\/p>\n
He declined to comment on the condition of the detainees.<\/p>\n
\"We have confidential recommendations to hand to the
\ngovernment. We talked to the detainees and saw the prison
\nconditions there.\" Ducreaux said the ICRC was proposing to pay
\nfor families to travel to central Myanmar to see the detainees.<\/p>\n
International anger with the junta and concerns about Suu
\nKyi's welfare have intensified since her detention, with the
\nUnited States and the European Union threatening harsher
\nsanctions and key donor Japan suspending new aid.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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