Toronto, July 11: Canada is denying visas for members of Myanmar's military regime to protest the continued imprisonment and harassment of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and members of her party. Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham said yesterday that other steps against Myanmar include restricting the travel of Myanmarese diplomats in Canada and urging against new business investment or dealings there.

"These new restrictions signal our condemnation of recent state-sponsored attacks on Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters and their continued detention," graham said. Suu Kyi has been detained since May 30 following a bloody clash between her supporters and backers of the Junta.

In January, Canada removed Myanmar from its least developed country (LDC) market access initiative, which eliminates most duties and quotas on imports. "Immigration officials will deny visas for Canada to members of Burma's past and present military juntas, senior government officials and members of the military suspected of involvement in human rights violations," said a statement issued by Graham's department.

Graham also said that travel to Myanmar supported the military regime that profits from the tourism sector.

Canada has urged authorities in Myanmar to release all political prisoners and work toward national reconciliation. The United States is preparing to ban imports from Myanmar, which has come under intense international criticism since Suu Kyi's arrest.

Bureau Report