米大統領、スー・チーさんの即時解放要求　軍政に声明

朝日新聞2010年6月19日11時0分

　【ワシントン＝村山祐介】オバマ米大統領は18日、ミャンマー（ビルマ）の民主化運動指導者アウン・サン・スー・チーさんが65歳の誕生日を迎える19日を前に声明を発表し、軍事政権に対し、スー・チーさんを含むすべての政治囚の即時、無条件での釈放を求めた。

　大統領報道官室が発表した声明によると、大統領はスー・チーさんについて「人権と民主化に尽くす決意と勇気、自己犠牲は、自由と正義を支持する我々を鼓舞している」と称賛。「すべての勢力が国民融和に向けて真の対話に臨むよう促したい」と訴えた。

Obama renews call for release of Myanmar's Suu Kyi

(Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday renewed his call for Myanmar's military rulers to release opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and urged a dialogue for national reconciliation in the Southeast Asian country.

"I once again call on the Burmese government to release Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally and to allow them to build a more stable, prosperous Burma that respects the rights of all its citizens," Obama said in statement, referring to the country by its colonial name, Burma. He said he was issuing the appeal to mark Suu Kyi's 65th birthday on June 19.

The Nobel laureate has spent 15 of the last 21 years in detention because of her fight for democracy in the army-ruled country and is currently under house arrest. Myanmar is subject to U.S. sanctions over its human rights record.

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won a landslide election victory in 1990, only to be denied power by the military.

Under Obama, the United States has pursued a new policy of deeper engagement with Myanmar's generals than the administration of his predecessor, George W. Bush.

But Kurt Campbell, the top U.S. diplomat for East Asia and the Pacific, said after a visit there in May that Washington was troubled Myanmar had not moved on any of the issues standing in the way of better ties with the military-ruled state.

"I encourage all stakeholders in Burma to engage in genuine dialogue towards national reconciliation," Obama said.

(Reporting by Matt Spetalnick; editing by Mohammad Zargham)