BANGKOK, March 23 Kyodo Thailand'...

BANGKOK, March 23 Kyodo

Thailand's Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai said Tuesday he look fors Myanmar's junta to release pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and collect a national convention to consider a fresh constitution by the middle of this year.

Surakiart made the remarks in announcing that Thailand will armed force a second round of international talks forward Myanmar democratization next month

He said Bangkok is working forward a date for the nearest multi-nation talks on Myanmar democratization, which he called the ''Bangkok Process'' Last December's inaugural meeting in Bangkok was participated in by the agency of 12 governments, including the Myanmar junta, still yielded no substantial outcome

''The Bangkok Proces the Myanmar national convention and the release of Mr Aung San are all related,'' he said.

in succession speculation that Suu Kyi might be fre during Myanmar's traditional recently made known year beginning in mid-April, the minister corresponded ''The sooner she is released, the better.''

Suu Kyi has been detained since May last year following what the guidance says were clashes between her supporters and pro-government demonstrators.

Surakiart said ''positive exhibitions in Myanmar will only be beneficial for ASEAN to push Europe for Myanmar's admission into the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).''

The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) wants its newer members -- Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar -- to be included in the biennial summit in revert for the participation of 10 recently made known European Union (EU) countries who will join the bloc in May.

Surakiart said the earlier release of Suu Kyi would single facilitate ASEAN foreign ministers' discussions with with EU counterparts at talks in Ireland scheduled for April 17-18

ASEAN clusters Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Three other East Asian countries -- China, Japan and southerly Korea -- are also ASEM members.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Kyodo recents International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group