(15 Nov 2009)
1. Wide of venue of US-ASEAN summit
2. Mid of car arriving
3. Mid of Singaporean prime minister Lee Hsien Loong arriving
4. Mid of Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen arriving
5. Mid of car arriving
6. Mid of Thailand prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva arriving
7. Wide of Myanmar prime minister Gen. Thein Sein leaving hotel and getting into car
8. Wide of car leaving hotel
9. Mid of car arriving at venue of US-ASEAN summit
10. Mid of Thein getting out of car
11. Wide of Thein walking into meeting venue
12. SOUNDBITE: (English) Surin Pitsuwan, ASEAN Secretary General:
"I'm sure concern can be communicated and we have heard some indications of how concerned and how important the issues (are) to some of the member states."
13. Wide of Philippines president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo arriving at summit venue
STORYLINE:
US President Barack Obama has told Myanmar's junta to free pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
Obama delivered the message at a summit in Singapore on Sunday between the US and the 10 leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations - their first ever - which included Myanmar Prime Minister Gen. Thein Sein.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that Obama called on Myanmar to free Suu Kyi and other political prisoners, and end oppression of minorities.
Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi has been in detention for 14 of the last 20 years.
A joint statement to be issued after the summit devotes an entire section to Myanmar, a major irritant in relations between the two sides.
The leaders emphasised, "the general election to be held in Myanmar in 2010 must be conducted in a free, fair, inclusive and transparent manner in order to be credible to the international community," according to a final draft of the statement obtained by The Associated Press.
The Myanmar government has said it intends to hold elections next year but has not clarified whether Suu Kyi will be allowed to participate.
The junta refused to honour the result of the last elections in 1990 when Suu Kyi's party won by a landslide.
Although the United States recently eased its policy toward Myanmar by initiating talks with the generals, it has made clear economic sanctions won't be lifted until Suu Kyi is released.
Earlier this month, two senior U.S. diplomats went to Myanmar for talks, and also had a private meeting with Suu Kyi. It was the highest-level U.S. visit to Myanmar in 14 years.
Sunday's U.S.-ASEAN summit - held just after the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum ends - is the outcome of the new thinking in Washington that ignoring Myanmar will not yield any results, and relations with Southeast Asia should not be held hostage by the junta.
Previous administrations had refused to hold summits with ASEAN because it meant sitting at the same table with Myanmar, which is a member of the regional grouping.
On Sunday, Obama and Myanmar Prime Minister Gen. Thein Sein were likely to sit side by side, but it was not known if they would hold direct talks.
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