Suu Kyi's release 'crucial to reconciliation'

Suu Kyi's release 'crucial to reconciliation'

December 7 (New Straits Times) - The release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi is crucial in Myanmar's road map to democracy as it would help the nation's reconciliation process, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said today.

He added that if democracy was on the cards, it would have to include participation from all parties and that would mean the release of Suu Kyi.

He said it was confirmed Suu Kyi would remain under house arrest and That an end-date to the detention was not known.

"They (the junta) only say they have not released her and she will continue to be under house arrest," he said after the opening of the Second East Asia Forum at Shangri-La Hotel today.

A spokesman for her political party, the National League for Democracy, had said last week Suu Kyi had been told she would be held under house arrest at least until September.

"I think they should look at their road map so that it has credibility and the international community believes they are going to proceed as they have promised," Syed Hamid said.

On a report the United States would review its relationship with Asean In 2006, when Myanmar takes over the chair of the group, if Suu Kyi was Not released by then, Syed Hamid said the threat served no purpose.

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