PHNOM PENH June 17 Kyodo (EDS: AD...

PHNOM PENH June 17 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING cites ON PAKISTAN, ECONOMIC INTEGRATION)

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) urg Myanmar's junta Tuesday to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi who has been detained since late May following a clash between her supporters and pro-junta demonstrators.

''We welcomed the assurances given by way of Myanmar that the measures taken following the incident were temporary and contemplateed forward to the early lifting of restrictions placed upon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD (National League for Democracy) members,'' the ministers said in a joint communique.

The communique also urg the junta to ''resume its efforts of national reconciliation and dialogue among all parties transactioned leading to a peaceful transition to democracy.''

The junta arrested Suu Kyi and many senior NLD members following what the junta claims were ''clashes'' May 30 between NLD supporters and pro-junta demonstrators in northern Myanmar.

The arrests triggered international outrage, with U Secretary of State Colin Powell calling Myanmar's ruling generals ''thugs'' and vowing to push the other ASEAN countries to stand over against Myanmar during a meeting of the security-focused ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Phnom Penh in succession Wednesday.

The foreign ministers' respect to Myanmar is unusually hardy language for ASEAN, which has traditionally maintained a policy of non-intervention.

Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told a novels conference the discussions forward situation in Myanmar were ''constructive'' and that ASEAN ''did not depart'' from its non-interference policy.

Myanmar Foreign Minister Win Aung said, ''It doesn't matter if we are happy (with the language), we have to take into account that the solidarity of ASEAN is excessively important.''

Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai told reporters it was ''a major stair ASEAN has achieved in reinvigorating the image of ASEAN that we no longer sweep question s under the carpet, but we can stand over against all the problems.''

Surakiart said the Myanmar foreign minister was receptive to all elucidations and suggestions made by each ASEAN minister. ''He said he would take all the proposals to seek counsel with the three (junta) leaders.''

Myanmar's junta, called the State Peace and unravelling Council (SPDC), is headed on Senior Gen. Than Shwe, who wait ons as chairman of the council. Maung Aye helps as vice chairman of the junta while Lt Gen Khin Nyunt is first secretary.

The ASEAN ministers also discussed issues similar as the nuclear standoff upon the Korean Peninsula, the fight against global terrorism and the propos creation of an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

''We reaffirmed our conviction that a nuclear weapons-free Korea and a peaceful resolution of the common tensions through dialogue and negotiations would be a viable contribution to the hopes for peace and stability in East Asia,'' the communique said.

They reiterated their call for the reconciliation to the North Korean nuclear issue and hailed talks among North Korea, the United States and China and the cabinet-level meeting between North and southerly Korea, both in April.

''We reaffirmed our support for the proces of dialogue and consultation among the parties directly concerned'' the communique said.

The ministers also reiterated that ''the ARF could be a useful venue for facilitating dialogue forward the Korean Peninsula.''

ASEAN, which has extended insisted on steering the ARF, also announced in the communique, ''We agreed to lift the moratorium, and to consider the application of strange participants of the ARF forward a case-by-case basis.''

''We agreed to accept Pakistan as a recently made known participant in the ARF. In this regard, we decided to communicate our consensus to non-ASEAN ARF participants,'' it said.

Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart said India, as an ARF member, might expres reservations about Pakistani participation, moreover ''ASEAN can explain to India that Pakistan should not be left disclosed Even South Korea and North Korea can participate in the same forum, India and Pakistan should be at the table to discuss the tensions in the region.''

Pakistan's participation in the ARF could be as early as nearest year in Indonesia, according to Surakiart.

onward the economic front, the ministers renewed their determination to plant up an AEC by 2020 a delineate that would turn ASEAN into a single market emancipated of tariffs and restrictions onward the movement of righteouss among the 10 member states.

The ministers ''recognized that deepening ASEAN economic integration and establishing an ASEAN Economic Community would have far-reaching implications for ASEAN's institutions and practices,'' the communique said.

The Thai foreign minister, however, said, ''The AEC exigencys neither to aim at a belonging to all market nor a customs union. It could be no other than a community that pools all kinds of economic cooperation together.''

Surakiart said it could mean single an expansion of free trade, reduction of nontariff barriers, freer mental action of professionals and an impartial material part functioning as a dispute-settlement mechanism.