Bush Discusses Burma's Human Rights with ASEAN Leaders

  • VOA News
President Bush has urged leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to use their influence to pressure Burma on its human rights record.

Mr. Bush held talks Friday with seven of the 10 ASEAN members on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Busan, South Korea.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Alberto Romulo said the ASEAN leaders told Mr. Bush they were concerned about Burma's human rights situation, but will continue to engage the military junta.

Mr. Bush also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. White House officials say Mr. Bush supported a Russian proposal to have Iran enrich uranium inside Russia, as a way to prevent the diversion of the material to a nuclear weapons program.

The two leaders also talked about the need to move forward on WTO talks, Syria's involvement in Lebanon and North Korea's nuclear weapons program, as well as the war in Iraq and efforts to curb the spread of bird flu.