UNITED NATIONS, May 28: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Tuesday that he ‘regretted’ the decision by Myanmar’s government to extend the detention of pro-democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

In a statement Mr Ban said: “I regret the decision of the Government of Myanmar to extend for a sixth consecutive year the detention under house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the general secretary of the National League for Democracy.”

Mr Ban who returned to New York after a visit to Myanmar in the wake of the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis. During his visit he met Myanmar’s Senior General Than Shwe.

“The sooner restrictions on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and other political figures are lifted, the sooner Myanmar will be able to move towards inclusive national reconciliation, the restoration of democracy and full respect for human rights,” Mr Ban added.

Mr Ban said he expected his Special Adviser Ibrahim Gambari to continue his efforts to foster political dialogue with both the Myanmar authorities and Nobel laureate Ms Suu Kyi. The country’s ruling generals announced that they were extending Ms Suu Kyi’s house arrest.