Burma urged to release pro-democracy leader

The United States and Australia decried Burma’s weekend elections as undemocratic and urged the country’s junta to immediately release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The allies made the comments today in a communique issued at the end of annual talks between the two countries’ foreign and defence ministers.

The statement said the officials expressed “deep regret” that Burma’s junta “failed to hold free, fair and genuinely inclusive elections”.

They called on the military government to “release without delay or conditions” Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defence Secretary Robert Gates and Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and Defence Minister Stephen Smith attended the talks.