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Bush says Myanmar rights situation "deplorable"
The human rights situation in military-ruled Myanmar was "deplorable", U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday, and he called for the release of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, jailed or under house arrest since May 2003.
March 2, 2006
Reuters: Bush says Myanmar rights situation "deplorable"
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The human rights situation in military-ruled Myanmar was "deplorable", U.S. President George W. Bush on Thursday, and he called for the release of Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, jailed or under house arrest since May 2003.
Bush, who is visiting New Delhi, said Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed with his views on Myanmar, formerly called Burma, which has been under military rule in one form or the other since 1962.
"On Burma, we agree on the deplorable state of human rights and all nations to seek the release of Aung San Suu Kyi," Bush told a news conference with Singh.
The U.S. president also said the royalist government in Nepal, where King Gyanendra sacked the government and seized power 13 months ago, should restore democracy.
King Gyanendra justified his power seizure, saying he had to do so to crush a deadly Maoist revolt aimed at overthrowing the monarchy.
"In Nepal, we agree that the Maoists should abandon violence and that the king should reach out to the political parties to restore democratic institutions," Bush said.
Washington and New Delhi suspended arms supplies to Kathmandu after the king's takeover, but India resumed the supply of "non-lethal" equipment such as trucks last year.