Burmese hints at Daw Aung Suu Kyi release

Produced by Radio Australia and Australia Network

Burma's foreign minister has indicated his country's military junta could release opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest in about six months.

He made the comment at a working dinner in Singapore for foreign ministers of the Association of South East Asian Nations.

ASEAN leaders have already expressed disappointment at Rangoon's recent decision to extend Ms Suu Kyi's detention.

Singapore's foreign minister, George Yeo, the current chair of ASEAN, says the 10-member bloc wants her released immediately:

"The foreign ministers expressed their deep disappointment that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's detention under house arrest had been extended by the [Burma] government," he said.

"They repeated the call by ASEAN leaders for the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political detainees, as part of [Burma's] national reconciliation process."