ABOARD PRESIDENT'S AIRCRAFT: India has expressed interest in the welfare of the Noble Peace prize winner, Aung Sang Suu Kyi, under house arrest without trial by Myanmar's ruling military junta since May 2003. The Myanmar leader, Senior General Than Shwe, assured President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam that he would hold discussions with senior army officers and others in the apex State Peace and Development Council and get back to India.

"I said India had friendship with her father [considered the father of the nation by the people of Myanmar]. Naturally the people were interested in her well-being. Senior General Than Shwe informed that he would discuss India's interest for Suu Kyi with his colleagues and get back to us," the President told newspersons while returning to the country after visits to Myanmar and Mauritius.

Impromptu discussion

The impromptu discussion on Ms. Suu Kyi's arrest took place as the President was being seen off at the Yangon airport by Senior General Than Shwe.

The pro-democracy leader has been kept at an unknown place and not allowed to meet anyone bar her doctor. She has been in jail since 1990 when her party won 80 per cent of the seats but the Army annulled the elections. Ms. Suu Kyi is acknowledged as the leader of modern time's one of the greatest non-violent political struggles for the restoration of democracy.

Mr. Kalam said he suggested to the SPDC leader that India would help him in implementing his proposed seven-point plan to usher in democracy in Myanmar. "I told him India would be happy to push the Parliamentary system [in Myanmar] as far as possible," he added.

Ms. Syu Kyi, along with her lieutenants, was placed under house arrest in 2003, strangely after her convoy was attacked while on a political tour in north Myanmar. In November last, her arrest was extended by another six months. This period will come to an end next month.

The President summed up his two-nation visit to Myanmar and Mauritius as "very important" as one is the gateway to South-East Asia and the other to Africa. He also noted that both countries signed agreements on promoting hydrocarbon exploration with India. "Mauritius has a very large exclusive economic zone, almost one-third of India, and we have agreed to study for hydrocarbons in the sea by our institution. In Myanmar, we agreed on the evacuation of gas and several other projects," he said.

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