Gordon Brown makes appeal over Aung San Suu Kyi

The Prime Minister said it was a "tragedy" that the Nobel Peace Prize winner was spending her 64th birthday behind bars because of the regime's "absurd and contemptible show trial".

And he said EU leaders meeting in Brussels had backed both tougher action and a potential visit to the country by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

"Today is Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday and it is a tragedy that she will spend it in prison as the Burmese regime pursues its absurd and contemptible sham trial of her," Mr Brown said at a post-summit press conference.

"So on this day I, and all of Europe, call again for Aung San Suu Kyi's release."

Mr Brown, who dedicated a chapter of his book Courage to the opposition leader, said she was "an inspiration to me and to all those that fight for human rights and democracy and for a better fairer world.

"The Burmese regime must know that there will be consequences for their actions so Europe agreed today to step up sanctions and take further targeted measures against the Burmese regime.

"We will also work with the rest of Asia to increase the pressure and I hope Ban Ki-moon, the UN Secretary General, will be able to visit Burma soon.

"So I send two messages to Burma today: to Aung San Suu Kyi: you are not alone; to the Burmese generals: the time for democracy is now."

Mr Brown said the text agreed by the European Council called for the "immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi".

"Unless she and the 2,000 other political prisoners are released, the credibility of any 2010 elections will be undermined and that the EU will respond with additional targeted measures," it went on.

Mr Brown told reporters: "That means that we are prepared to look at further sanctions in relation to Burma.

"It means also that we are supporting a visit by the UN Secretary General to Burma. We believe he can communicate the opinion of the whole world community that to leave her and others as political prisoners in Burma, to continue to suspend the democracy which the Burmese people are entitled to, is a gross abuse of human rights and something which the whole world wishes to see changed."

Joining Hollywood stars, other celebrities, world leaders and tens of thousands of activists posting online messages marking Aung San Suu Kyi's birthday with calls for her release, Mr Brown went on: "She is perhaps now the most renowned prisoner of conscience in the world. She has defended democracy and human rights while being incarcerated or been on house arrest for years.

"She has lost her husband during that time and not been able to see him before he died. She is away from her two sons as a result of the house arrest in Burma. And she has endured a great deal in defence of human rights and democracy. That's why I think the whole world will want to give her support today."