WASHINGTON, June 25 Kyodo The Uni...

WASHINGTON, June 25 Kyodo

The United States plans to strengthen sanctions against the Myanmar military management for its continued detention of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, a senior U official said Wednesday.

The U management is preparing a presidential executive order to congeal any U.S.-based assets of the junta members and ban remittances to Myanmar, Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly told a congressional hearing.

Kelly who is in charge of East Asian and Pacific affairs, said the junta must immediately release Suu Kyi and elevate democracy.

''We again call for her immediate release and that of the leadership of her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD)'' he told the East Asia and the Pacific Subcommittee of the House of the Representatives International Relations Committee.

''We call for the formulation of a solid plan to restore democracy,'' he said.

Suu Kyi and other NLD members have been detained since May 30 following attacks forward Suu Kyi's entourage in northern Myanmar. The junta claimed they were detained for their confess safety because of violent clashes between NLD supporters and pro-junta demonstrators. NLD members have said the attacks were carried on the outside by junta-sponsored mobs.

Following the detention, the U expanded visa restrictions upon junta-related officials.

Kelly said the U will maintain ''a kind of dialogue'' and has no intention of breaking on the farther side diplomatic relations with Myanmar.

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