ASEAN pushes Burma for Suu Kyi's release
Updated
A meeting of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Singapore is pushing Burma's military junta to release detained pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.
Our South East Asia correspondent, Karen Percy, says ASEAN foreign ministers are hopeful that Ms Suu Kyi might be released in six months, after hints from Burma's representative at the weekend.
Ms Suu Kyi won the country's last general election in 1990, but the military junta never recognised the result and has forced her to spend 13 of the past 19 years under house arrest.
Burma has also signed on to ASEAN's charter which includes provisions to strengthen human rights protections in the region.
The charter is expected to be implemented by the end of the year.
The group has also been discussing the tense relations between member countries, Cambodia and Thailand over a disputed Hindu temple, urging restraint from both sides.
Thailand takes on the year-long chairmanship of the organisation at the end of this week.
