Japan urges Myanmar to ensure Suu Kyi's participation in poll+

HANOI, July 21 Kyodo -
Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada on Wednesday urged his Myanmar
counterpart Nyan Win to ensure the participation of pro-democracy leader Aung
San Suu Kyi in a general election slated for later this year, according to
Japanese officials.
Okada met with Win on the sidelines of meetings of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations in Hanoi and asked the ruling junta to release Suu Kyi, who has
been under house arrest, before the election and conduct the poll in a free and
fair manner, they said.
The Myanmar minister said the country's new Constitution does not bar Suu Kyi
from becoming a member of parliament and that she will be able to take part in
the election as soon as she is released, the officials said.
He also said Myanmar's electoral commission is scheduled to announce the date
of the general election soon.
In March, the junta announced a new political party registration law through
state-run newspapers, which says members of a political party are not eligible
for electoral participation if they have been convicted in court.
The pro-democracy icon, who has long been under detention, was convicted last
year of violating the terms of her house arrest.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy, the country's largest de facto
opposition party, decided in March to boycott the election on the grounds that
it would be unfair. The party disbanded in May.
Okada told Nyan Win that whether Japan will boost its aid for the economic and
social development of Myanmar depends on how the general election is conducted,
and that he expects the country to hold the poll in a manner that would lead to
increased support from Tokyo.
==Kyodo
2010-07-22 00:54:47


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