Suu Kyi appeals to ASEAN

Suu Kyi appeals to ASEAN

BANGKOK (Agencies): Aung San Suu Kyi urged Myanmar's neighbors
on Friday to help bring restore democracy in the country, saying
its problems were now the responsibility of the whole region.

The Nobel laureate made the call ahead of next week's meeting
here of foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN), of which Myanmar is also a member.

The junta's delegation will come face to face during the July
21 to July 29 meeting with ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) members,
some of whom are highly critical of the military regime.

The European Union's Bangkok-based regional office has been
told to find ways of boosting humanitarian assistance to the
people of Myanmar, while maintaining sanctions against its ruling
military regime, diplomats said on Friday.

By next week, Myanmar will become the only member of the ASEAN
to be excluded from EU economic and humanitarian assistance to
the region.