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HANOI: Asian and European foreign ministers on Tuesday jointly condemned a nuclear test by North Korea and called for the release of Myanmar's prisoners, with reference to its detained opposition leader.
Delegates said the two issues vaulted to the top of the agenda during two days of wide-ranging talks by the Asia-Europe (ASEM) foreign ministers and their deputies.
"Ministers condemn the underground nuclear test conducted by the DPRK (North Korea) on May 25th, 2009," said a statement issued at the conclusion of the Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) of foreign ministers.
It described Monday's test as a "clear violation" of six-party agreements and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
"Ministers strongly urge the DPRK not to conduct any further nuclear test," and to comply fully with Security Council resolutions, the statement said, referring to North Korea by its formal initials.
The ministers reaffirmed their support for the six-nation talks to seek early and verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula in a peaceful manner, "and call on DPRK to immediately return to the six-party talks."
ASEM groups the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with the European Union (EU), China, South Korea, Japan, Mongolia, Pakistan and India.
Japan and China are also involved with Russia, the two Koreas, and the United States in the six-party effort to persuade North Korea to give up its nuclear programmes in exchange for economic aid.
ASEM issued a separate statement on North Korea but incorporated its reference to Myanmar in the chair's seven-page statement summing up the talks.
It called for Myanmar to release its prisoners, citing "recent developments" in the case of opposition democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
"In light of the concern about the recent developments relating to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, ministers... called for the early release of those under detention and the lifting of restrictions placed on political parties," said the statement.
Aung San Suu Kyi is on trial in military-ruled Myanmar where she faces up to five years in jail on charges of violating her house arrest after an incident in which an American man swam to her house.
On Tuesday she testified that she did not violate her house arrest, and only offered the man temporary shelter.
Her lawyers said the house arrest was to expire Wednesday but a top Myanmar police officer said the military government had the right to extend her detention by six months.
The Nobel Peace Prize winner has been detained for 13 of the past 19 years, since her National League for Democracy party won a landslide victory in 1990 polls but was not allowed to take power.
Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, whose country holds the EU presidency, said it was an "important step" that the communique named Aung San Suu Kyi.
The ASEM ministers called on Myanmar to prepare and conduct elections scheduled for next year "in a free and fair manner."
Myanmar's Foreign Minister Nyan Win attended the ASEM meeting and was "very resistant" to change, said British junior foreign minister Bill Rammell. Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said Myanmar was "defensive".
"I think (Myanmar’s government) has miscalculated and has been somewhat taken aback by the force of international reaction," Rammell said.
China, a close ally of both North Korea and Myanmar, played a "very constructive" role in the ASEM talks, said Alexander Stubb, Finland's foreign affairs minister.
Bildt said there was "a new tone from China on the question of Burma" but in Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry denied any change in policy. It said China does not interfere in other country's internal affairs and "the independence of Myanmar justice" has to be respected.
- AFP/yb
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