Washington: US President George W Bush today slammed the situation in Myanmar as "deplorable," and urged international pressure for democratic change and the release of political prisoners.

"Concerted international pressure is needed to achieve a genuine transition to democracy in Burma," Bush said in a statement.

"We encourage Burma s neighbours and other stakeholders in Southeast Asia to impress upon the regime the need to release all political prisoners," he said after the United States announced a new round of sanctions against supporters of the military junta.

"The situation in Burma remains deplorable," Bush said.

He accused the military regime of rejecting calls for dialogue with opposition groups, "arrests and secret trials of peaceful political activists" and "severe human rights abuses by the Burmese Army, including burning down homes and killing civilians."

The military regime, which has ruled Myanmar since 1962,has not recognized the result of 1990 elections in which Aung San Suu Kyi led the National League for Democracy to a landslide victory.

Source : PTI