Page last updated at 12:11 GMT, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 13:11 UK

Reaction: Aung San Suu Kyi trial

A court in Rangoon has convicted Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and sentenced her to an additional 18 months of house arrest. Here is a roundup of international reaction so far to the court's ruling.


The EU said it would "respond with additional targeted measures against those responsible for the verdict".

"In addition, the EU will further reinforce its restrictive measures targeting the regime of Burma/Myanmar, including its economic interests," the bloc's Swedish presidency said in a statement.

Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the EU's executive branch the European Commission, said Ms Suu Kyi's continued detention was "unjustified and unacceptable on all accounts."


Prime Minister Kevin Rudd described the continued detention of the Nobel Peace Prize winner as "a new low for the Burmese regime".

"The Australian government is convinced that Aung San Suu Kyi was tried on spurious charges and not granted a fair hearing," he said.

Foreign Affairs Minister Stephen Smith said Australia would consult the international community, including the Asian regional forum Asean, "on the need to put even more pressure on the Burmese regime to move down the path of democracy".

He also said Australia would move to update its financial sanctions against Burma "and keep them focused for maximum impact".


Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: "She should not have been tried and she should not have been convicted."


Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman said he was "very disappointed" with the decision to convict and sentence Ms Suu Kyi.

"I think there is a need for Asean foreign ministers to have an urgent meeting to discuss this issue, which is of grave concern," he told AFP news agency.


"The Indonesian government is very disappointed over the verdict given by the Burmese court against Aung San Suu Kyi," foreign ministry spokesman Teuku Faizasyah told AFP.


Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was "saddened and angry" by the verdict and described the trial as a "sham".

"I have always made clear that the United Kingdom would respond positively to any signs of progress on democratic reform in Burma," he said.

"But with the generals explicitly rejecting that course today, the international community must take action."

Foreign Office Minister Ivan Lewis, speaking to the BBC, praised Ms Suu Kyi's "dignity and courage" after the sentence was read out in court.

He also said the UK would "move quickly to secure further EU sanctions targeting the regime's economic interests".


French President Nicolas Sarkozy called on the EU "to respond quickly by adopting new sanctions against the Burmese regime".

The measures "must in particular target the resources that they directly profit from, in the wood and ruby sector" a statement reported by AFP added.

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