UN voices "serious concerns" over Myanmar's verdict of Suu Kyi

UN voices "serious concerns" over Myanmar's verdict of Suu Kyi New York - The UN Security Council belatedly issued a statement on Thursday expressing "serious concerns" over the sentencing of opposition Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi for a further 18 months under house detention.

The 15-nation council had considered a stronger statement that would have condemned the conviction and verdict by a Myanmar court against Suu Kyi, leader of the National Luegue for Democracy.

The statement issued by British Ambassador John Sawers, the council president, swapped "condemnation" for "serious concerns" because of objection by some unnamed countries. Those countries had demanded that the council not interfere with Myanmar's judicial system and internal matters.

The statement was hammered out and watered down during private consultations between Sawers and other council members since Monday. He said all 15 council members supported the text before he made it public.

Sawers said council members stressed the importance of releasing "all political prisoners" in Myanmar.

"The members of the UN Security Council express serious concerns at the conviction and sentencing of Daw Aung San Kyi and its political impacts," said the statement, which Sawers read to reporters.

Sawers said the council noted the reduction of Suu Kyi's three-year sentence of prison labour to 18 months house arrest by the Myanmar court.

"The council urged the Myanmar government to take further measures to create the necessary conditions for a genuine dialogue with Suu Kyi and all concerned parties and ethnic groups in order to achieve an inclusive, national reconciliation," the statement said.

"The members of the Security Council affirm their commitment to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Myanmar, and in that context, reiterates that the future of Myanmar lies in the hands of all of its people."

The Myanmar court in Yangon decided to confine Suu Kyi on Monday to a further 18 months under house arrest for harbouring an American at her lakeside residence in violation of terms of her house arrest. She has been under house arrest for more than 10 years for demanding democratic reforms in Myanmar, formerly Burma.(dpa)