Suu Kyi off Summit agenda

The Phnom Penh Post
http://www.phnompenhpost.com

Written by Vong Sokheng
Monday, 25 May 2009

ASEAN-EU meet will not discuss Myanmar.

A GOVERNMENT spokesperson said Sunday that the trial of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi would not be on the official agenda for an ASEAN-EU summit scheduled to be held in Phnom Penh this week.

"Until now, I haven't seen on the schedule any mention of the issue," Koy Kuong, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told the Post.
"But it depends on what happens while a summit takes place."

He also said that no official statement on Aung San Suu Kyi would be forthcoming from the government, as Cambodia had already supported an earlier statement by ASEAN.

Opposition requests talks
Sam Rainsy Party and the Human Rights Party parliamentarians said Sunday they will sign a joint statement urging the summit's bloc leaders to hold talks with the Myanmar representatives on the release of the country's political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi, while expressing concern over her ongoing trial.

"I think that it is necessary for ASEAN and European Union leaders to seek approval from China, Russia and Cambodia, which have close ties to Burma's military regime, to encourage the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and to bring national reconciliation to Burma," said opposition lawmaker Son Chhay, who was also deputy chair of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentarian Myanmar Caucus.

"We will send our joint letter to the ASEAN-EU ministerial meeting on Monday, and I think that it is good opportunity to raise this issue during submit."