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UN chief calls on Myanmar to release Aung San Suu Kyi
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Tuesday on Myanmar's military-run government to free all of its political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
- AP
- Published: 11:22 June 30, 2009
Tokyo: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called Tuesday on Myanmar's military-run government to free all of its political prisoners, including opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
The UN chief, who arrived in Japan earlier in the day for a three-day visit, will travel to Myanmar on Friday in a diplomatic bid to win the release of the 64-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who has spent more than 13 of the past 19 years in detention without trial.
"First of all, they should release all political prisoners, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi," Ban told reporters in Tokyo. Daw is a title of respect in Myanmar Suu Kyi is being held in Myanmar's notorious Insein prison and is being tried on charges of violating the terms of her house arrest after an uninvited American man swam to her closely guarded lakeside home last month and stayed two days.
Ban is set to arrive in Yangon, Myanmar's commercial capital, on Friday the same day Suu Kyi's trial resumes and is hoping to meet with her, UN officials said.
In Tokyo, Ban met with Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone to discuss Suu Kyi's trial and North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, according to the Foreign Ministry.
He is scheduled for talks with Prime Minister Taro Aso on Wednesday.
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