US to seek resolution on Myanmar: detention of Suu Kyi decried

Washington, June 1 (UNI) The Bush administration has urged the UN Security Council to pass a resolution expressing alarm over Myanmar's continuing detention of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and its failure to extend greater political freedom to the country's 50 million people.

Signaling a step-up in the US campaign in the Security Council to challenge Myanmar's military rule, the US move for the resolution comes days after Myanmar dismissed international calls for Suu Kyi's release and extended her term of house arrest until May 2007.

The adoption of such a resolution would mark the first time that the 15-nation council has formally confronted the military junta over its repression of political opponents.

But, according to a report in the Washington Post today, the US initiative faced stiff resistance from China, Japan and Russia, which argued in a closed session of the council yesterday that Myanmar's policies do not constitute a threat to international peace and security. China and Russia have the power to veto any Security Council action.

Myanmar's human rights record includes ''a lot of regrettable things, ''Japan's ambassador to the United Nations, Kenzo Oshima, reportedly said after the meeting. But he also added that ''the Security Council is a body that is primarily responsible for threats to international peace and security. We don't take up any matter whenever somebody is arrested or someone is kept in house arrest.'' According to the Post, US officials said that it remains unclear whether they can overcome council resistance. It however quoted Richard Grenell, the spokesman for the US mission to the United Nations, to say that ''we will revisit this with a resolution in the near future.'' UNI XC DKS BD1933