Joint Statement of the ASEAN Regional Forum - 2003-06-18

The highest security authority in Asia has called on the military rulers of Burma to release the leader of the pro-democracy movement, Aung San Suu Kyi. The ASEAN Regional Forum issued a joint statement today at the conclusion of its annual meeting in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, demanding the release of Ms. Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for her peaceful activism. She was arrested last month following clashes between regime supporters and pro-democracy activists. Foreign ministers from ten Southeast Asian countries also discussed seeking more effective ways to combat terrorism and the threats posed by Islamic extremists in the region. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell urged Southeast Asian nations to pressure the North Korean communist regime to abandon its nuclear weapons program. Mr. Powell noted the dangerous situation and expressed his belief that a political resolution to the nuclear crisis in Pyongyang is possible. North Korea rejected the recent U.S. invitation for multilateral talks and vowed to strengthen its nuclear deterrent forces.