Annan vows to fight for Myanmar leader's release

United Nations, May 31 (UNI) UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has vowed to continue working for the release of Myanmar democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, whose house arrest has been extended by the authorities.

''Despite this setback, the international community cannot abandon the search for improvements in the difficult situation in Myanmar,'' Mr Annan said in a statement issued by his spokesman yesterday, just four days after he appealed directly to the head of State, Senior General Than Shwe, to release Ms Suu Kyi, a Nobel Prize winner, who has been under house arrest for 10 of the past 16 years.

The authorities announced the extension a day after that. Her party, the National League for Democracy, had a landslide victory in the 1990 elections, but the military refused to relinquish power.

''He believes Myanmar's leadership has missed a significant opportunity to confirm, through concrete actions, it's expressed commitment to move toward true national reconciliation and all-inclusive democracy, as well as improved relations with the international community,'' the statement added.

It said Mr Annan would continue not only to make every effort to secure the release of Ms Suu Kyi, who is now 60, and other political detainees, but also to urge the authorities to take other steps they discussed with Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari during his recent visit to the country.

These include improved safety and access for humanitarian assistance, restraint in military operations that have affected civilians, and the possibility of internal dialogue that could lead to national reconciliation.

Speaking to reporters himself yesterday, Mr Annan said UN would continue to work with the Association of Southeast Asian countries and with Malaysia, which holds the Presidency of ASEAN and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM)'' and we hope that other governments with influence will bring pressure to bear''.

Last week Mr Annan had called Mr Gambari's visit, the first high-level contact in more than two years, a ''welcome development''.

''Obviously, lines of communication have now been opened with Yangon following Mr Gambari's visit and we hope to exploit those lines to move the process forward,'' spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters yesterday.

''From where we stand, we can't give up and we have to keep trying.'' Myanmar has been isolated from most countries, including ASEAN.

In 2003,the military promised a seven-step ''road map'' to democracy but of no avail. The military also increased its offensive against ethnic Karen rebels, which forced up to 11,000 people to flee their homes.

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