US, Indonesia Urge China, India to Press Burma

By VOA News 08 September 2007

Hasan Wirajuda, 06 Sep 2007

Indonesia's foreign minister says the United States and Indonesia believe China and India should exert more pressure on Burma to improve its human rights record.

Foreign Minister Hasan Wirajuda spoke to reporters Saturday in Sydney shortly after U.S. President George Bush and his Indonesian counterpart, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, held talks.

Wirajuda said the two leaders agreed that constructive engagement by Southeast Asian nations has not produced any results in Burma in recent years.

He said that Mr. Bush and Indonesia's leader also agreed that they should talk with China and India, as they are Burma's two largest neighbors.

Human rights organizations and several countries, including the United States, have strongly criticized Burma for its human rights record.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.