Free Suu Kyi, Britain urges Burma

Aung San Suu Kyi has spent her 60th birthday under house arrest

Britain has called on the Burmese junta to release the country's opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, as she spends her 60th birthday under house arrest.

Foreign Office minister Ian Pearson said her detention was "totally indefensible and unjustified".

The Nobel Peace Prize winner, whose party won elections in 1990, has been under house arrest since May 2003.

In the past UK officials have said they hope their pleas persuade the EU to strengthen sanctions against Burma.

We will continue to put pressure on the Burmese authorities to bring about her release Ian Pearson Foreign Office minister No happy returns for Suu Kyi

The military government has said it will release her, along with other political prisoners "when the time is right", but it has not set a date.

Mr Pearson told BBC Radio 4's PM programme: "We will continue to put pressure on the Burmese authorities to bring about her release and to bring about change in Burma."

Ms Suu Kyi is the daughter of the assassinated head of Burma's first post-war government and led the victorious National League for Democracy campaign in the 1990 election.

She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.