ASEAN pushes Myanmar for Suu Kyi's release

(L-R) Forign ministers of the Philippines Blas Ople, S. Jayakumar of Singapore, Surakiart Sathirathai of Thailand, Nguyen Dy Nien of Vietnam, Princess Hajah Masna of Brunei, Hor Namhong of Cambodia and Hassan Wirayuda of Indonesia join hands for a group photo ahead of their roundtable discussions on Monday. Photo: AFP

"All of us in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) wish that Aung San Suu Kyi will be free to be able to do what she would like to do," ASEAN secretary-general Ong Keng Yong told reporters during annual ministerial talks in the Cambodian capital.

"I think that is at the bottom of our heart and in our own way we have explained to the Myanmar foreign minister that wish. But we don't want to do it in a confrontational manner," he said.

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Military-ruled Myanmar has been the target of vitriolic attacks by world leaders since its arrest last month of Aung San Suu Kyi and a crackdown on democracy activists.

The United States has already toughened sanctions against it while the European Union is expected to do so later Monday.

Japan reportedly plans to warn Yangon in talks between its foreign ministers in Phnom Penh this week that it may "review" its economic aid unless the junta releases the Nobel peace laureate immediately.

"In the discussions on Myanmar many of the ASEAN ministers conveyed their concerns to the Myanmar foreign minister," Singaporean Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar said.

"The point was made that the recent developments were a setback not just for Myanmar but also a setback for ASEAN," he added.

Some ministers called for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, he said, declining to specify who they were.

In a significant move for the 10-member bloc, ministers are to express their concern in a joint communique at the conclusions of talks Tuesday, according to ASEAN secretariat spokesman M.C. Abad.