Clinton urges Myanmar to free Suu Kyi

PHUKET, Thailand (AFP) – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday urged Myanmar to free democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, saying such a move could pave the way for investments from the United States.
"If she were released that would open up opportunities at least for my country to expand our relationship withBurma, including investments in Burma," she said, referring to Myanmar by its former name.
Speaking after meetings in Phuket on the eve of Asia's biggest annual security forum, she said such opportunities were "up to the Burmese leadership".
Military-ruled Myanmar recently sparked outrage by putting Aung San Suu Kyi on trial in prison over an incident in which an American man swam to her lakeside house.
US President Barack Obama has described the court proceedings as a "show trial" and Myanmar has already been slapped with US sanctions for its detention of thousands of political prisoners.
Clinton said that while countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) were moving "in a very positive direction", Myanmar was "moving in the opposite direction".



"We have been very clear in stating that the United States would like to see changes in the behaviour of the regime in Burma" she said, adding that the release of Aung San Suu Kyi was "critical".
Earlier Wednesday she said ASEAN should consider expelling Myanmar -- the bloc's problem child since it joined in 1997 -- if it does not release the imprisoned Nobel Peace Laureate.
Referring to US man John Yettaw's uninvited visit to Aung San Suu Kyi, Clinton said: "I regret deeply this unfortunate incident, which she had nothing to do with, and which served as an excuse for them to put her on trial."
The pro-democracy leader has spent 13 of the last 19 years in detention since the junta refused to recognise her National League for Democracy's landslide victory in elections in 1990.
Critics of Myanmar's regime believe the trial is a ploy to keep her locked up for elections scheduled for next year.
Clinton reiterated concerns about possible cooperation over nuclear weaponry between Myanmar and fellow pariah state North Korea, one of the issues that is dominating the talks in Phuket.
On Tuesday Clinton also said she was "deeply concerned" by reports of human rights abuses in Myanmar, "particularly by actions that are attributed to the Burmese military concerning the mistreatment and abuse of young girls."

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