EU and Asian countries call on Myanmar to free Suu Kyi

(HAMBURG) - More than 40 European and Asian countries Tuesday jointly called on Myanmar to release opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and implement democratic reforms.

In a joint declaration, the Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) of foreign ministers called for "the early lifting of restrictions placed on political parties and the early release of those under detention, including Aung San Suu Kyi."

It also deplored "the lack of tangible progress in the declared transition towards a civilian and democratic government" in military-run Myanmar.

Myanmar's military junta last week prolonged the detention of the 61-year-old democracy campaigner and Nobel peace laureate by another year.

Her National League for Democracy (NLD) won elections in Myanmar in 1990 by a landslide but was never allowed to take power.

Suu Kyi has spent most of the last 17 years in house arrest at her Yangon home, which police on Saturday barricaded with barbed wire.

The United Nations, the United States and the European Union have strongly condemned the extention of her sentence. China has been criticised for remaining silent but is one of the countries aligned to the statement issued at the ASEM meeting in Hamburg.

Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win was attending the two-day meeting.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso on Monday raised the issue of Suu Kyi's detention with Win in one-on-one talks.

A Western diplomat said ASEM ministers thought it was positive that Win attended the meeting and "at least had to hear our criticism."