Some legislators from member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have called on the regional organization to suspend Burma because of its reluctance to implement democratic reforms.
The president of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Caucus, Zaid Ibrahim of Malaysia, told reporters today that Burma's position in ASEAN must be reconsidered so the international community does not think the group supports a unjust military regime with no concern for human rights.
The inter-parliamentary group also issued a statement Monday calling for a UN Security Council resolution on Burma.
Burma's military government has held opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest for most of the past 16 years. The government recently extended her confinement order until mid-2007, saying she remains a threat to the state.
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate is the leader of Burma's National League of Democracy opposition party.
The party won parliamentary elections in 1990 but was never allowed to take power. More than 100 of its senior leaders are currently in prison.
Several members of the UN Security Council, including the United States, have been pressing the council to take up the Burmese situation.
Information for this report is provided by Reuters.
