ASEAN insists on release of Suu Kyi

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) is continuing to seek the early release of Myanmar democratic opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from government detention, a government official says.

"We want to get results, that is, the early release of Suu Kyi, but off course in a spirit of partnership with the Myanmar government," Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa said Sunday when asked about the meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda and the United Nations special envoy on Myanmar, Razali Ismail, on Saturday.

The two discussed follow-up action on the worldwide demands for Suu Kyi's release. Indonesia currently chairs ASEAN.

Marty said the two officials discussed the possibility of developing better ways of ensuring the release of the pro- democracy leader, including Jakarta's idea of sending a high- powered ASEAN ministerial team to Myanmar.

"We need the Myanmar side to respond to the proposal as they promised. We are waiting for them to give us a proposal regarding the team," Marty added.

Separately, Ismail said that Myanmar could no longer afford to ignore appeals from its Southeast Asian neighbors for the release Suu Kyi.

"I don't see how Myanmar can turn a deaf ear to the appeal of the ASEAN countries," Ismail told Agence France-Presse after meeting Hassan over breakfast.

"My purpose here ... is to underline how seriously the UN looks at the continued detention of Aung San Suu Kyi," said Ismail.

Myanmar's military junta announced on May 31 that the popular leader had been detained. She was held after a junta-backed mob attacked her supporters in violence feared to have left dozens dead.

Her detention has sparked outrage around the world. The United States and the European Union have beefed up their sanctions against the Yangon regime.

During the 36th ASEAN foreign ministers meeting early this month, the group asked for the release of Suu Kyi.

Myanmar has come under pressure from the international community for the release of Suu Kyi, while the largest donor country to Myanmar, Japan, has suspended aid to the country over the issue.

The decision was taken following Ismail's confirmation to the Japanese foreign minister Yoriko Kawaguchi that Suu Kyi was being detained in poor conditions in a Yangon prison when he was allowed to meet her on June 10.

Although during the ASEAN meeting, Myanmar's foreign minister U Win Aung was open to member countries in explaining the situation, so far there have been no signs that Suu Kyi will be released in the near future.

Malaysia's foreign minister Syed Hamid Albar said last Thursday that the detention of the Nobel laureate had damaged ASEAN's reputation and was a setback for the region.

Marty said Saturday's meeting was held at the request of Ismail, and was intended to compare notes and fill each other in on the latest developments in Myanmar.

Ismail returned to Malaysia on Sunday before going on to the United Nations in New York.