Major industrialized nations have issued a call for Burma to free all
political prisoners, including pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
Leaders
from the Group of Eight welcomed the United Nations secretary-general's
efforts to communicate the international concerns to Burma's military
government.
But the G8 statement said Burma's military leaders
failed to take the opportunity of Ban Ki-moon's visit to the country to
respond to those concerns.
The declaration said there is an
urgent need for an inclusive process of dialogue and national
reconciliation that will lead to what it called "transparent, fair and
democratic multiparty elections."
G8 leaders said they remain prepared to respond positively if Burma undertakes substantive reforms.
On Thursday, the U.N. chief discussed Burma with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on the sidelines of the G8 summit.
Burmese leaders denied Mr. Ban's request to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi during his visit to Burma last week.
Aung
San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest for 13 of the past 19
years, is on trial for allegedly violating the terms of her house
arrest.
She could face a five-year prison sentence if convicted
of charges that stem from allowing an American intruder to stay at her
home overnight after the man swam across a Rangoon lake to get there.
Some information for this report was provided by Reuters.
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