United States President Barack Obama has called on Myanmar to release opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

He made his appeal during a meeting with government leaders at a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Singapore. Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein also attended the conference but the two leaders did not meet.

The US appeal for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi was not included in the ASEAN summit's closing statements. However, the closing statement did call for free, fair and inclusive elections in Myanmar. The US wants Aung San Suu Kyi to have greater freedom of movement ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled to be held next year. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said earlier this week that the Burmese elections could only be considered free and fair if Aung san Suu Kyi were allowed to take part.

Photo: Protesters carrying a photograph of Aung San Suu Kyi (EPA)