New Delhi: Opening a convention for restoration of democracy in Myanmar, former Defence Minister George Fernandes today (Oct 15, 2004) asked all neighbouring countries to "collectively pressurise" the military junta to release all political prisoners including Aung San Suu Kyi from custody for peace in South East Asia.

Delegates from 14 countries, including the United States, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, South Korea, Sweden, Denmark, Canada, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are taking part in the meet.

In his keynote address at the second International Convention for the Restoration of Democracy in Myanmar, Fernandes said that going by experience and recent utterances of the junta, it appeared that the Army was not going to change its mind regarding release of Suu Kyi.

"What role can India play in persuading the Burmese junta to release Suu Kyi and the many hundred political prisoners including elected Members of Parliament," he asked.

Fernandes said the best step to take was to persuade the leadership of all neighbouring countries to join with India to evaluate the long-term consequences of the situation in Myanmar. "Unless India and her neighbours come together to restore democracy in Burma, can we expect a peaceful environment in South East Asia," he asked.

"Several hundred thousand refugees, most of them young and unemployed, have taken refuge in countries bordering Burma (Myanmar). They have candidates for recruitment into terrorist groups given the conditions in which they survive," he said and warned that if democracy did not find a place in that country, the youth would take to "action" which could have grave consequences in the entire region.