Burma's Detention of Democratic Leader Angers Countries

RANGOON, Burma — The world broke a self-imposed silence on Burma politics yesterday, expressing anger at the military junta's decision to extend the detention of the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi days after foreign donors pledged millions to help cyclone victims.

Several countries, including America, Britain, and France, issued biting statements about the regime's order to keep the Nobel peace laureate under house arrest for a sixth year.

"This measure testifies to the junta's absence of will to cooperate with the international community," Foreign Minister Kouchner of France said in a statement.

He called on Burma's government to "free without delay" Ms. Suu Kyi and other political prisoners and opposition members being held. Ms. Suu Kyi has been held for more than 12 of the past 18 years, becoming a symbol of the junta's intolerance of dissent.

In related news, the senior commander of American forces in the Pacific says the Navy probably will withdraw a group of naval vessels from waters off the coast of Burma within days unless the government allows the ships to offload their relief supplies for cyclone victims.