Bali, July 23: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations will send a delegation to Myanmar in an attempt to win the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, officials said today. The process to free the Nobel peace prize winner would also include some gentle persuasion from Southeast Asian countries, one official said.
"We will be nagging the Myanmar junta for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi," said Blas Ople, the Philippines' secretary of foreign affairs, on the sidelines of a three-day Asia-Europe summit here.
Ople said an Asean delegation would be sent to Myanmar's capital of Yangon soon, but refused to say exactly when or elaborate on the kind of pressure the group would place on the military government.
We want them to "speed up the political transition to a democratic government," he added.
Suu Kyi and members of her national league for democracy party were taken into "protective custody" after a clash between her supporters and government backers during a political tour in northern Myanmar on May 30.
Asean has long followed a policy of not interfering on its members internal affairs, but the international outcry over Suu Kyi's detention has apparently pushed it to bend the rule.
Indonesian foreign minister Hassan Wirayuda said Asean would speak to Yangon like "family."

Bureau Report