Washington, June 20: Terming Myanmarese pro-democracy activist Aung Sang Suu Kyi's detention as "unacceptable", the US has called for her immediate release and asked the Asian country's military rulers to work with her party to restore democracy.
"The continued detention of Aung San Suu Kyi, members of her political party and others who have peacefully expressed their political views, is without cause and unacceptable. They should be released immediately and the offices of the National League for Democracy (Suu Kyi's party) should be reopened without delay", state department deputy spokesman Philip T Reeker said yesterday. "We call on Burma's (Myanmar) military rulers to begin work immediately with the NLD to formulate a concrete plan to restore democracy in Burma", he said.
Suu Kyi and some of her supporters were taken into 'protective custody' by Myanmar's military junta on May 30. Officials said the nobel laureate faced threats to her life from her opponents.

Reeker said that US Secretary of State Colin Powell had sent his personal greetings to Suu Kyi on her 58th birthday yesterday, but the US embassy in Myanmar had been unable to deliver them to her as this was her seventh birthday since 1989 that she had spent under detention.

He said Powell met with Myanmar's neighbours this week to emphasize that the international community must work together for reform in the country.

"We welcome the statement of the ASEAN member states on Burma and support ASEAN's plans to send a troika delegation Torangoon (Yangon)," Reeker said.

Bureau Report