WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States strongly condemned the extended house arrest of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and demanded the immediate release of the Nobel peace laureate and other political prisoners.

Myanmar's military junta extended the house arrest of Suu Kyi Friday for another year, which the U.S. State Department said would do nothing to improve already tense U.S. relations with the country formerly known as Burma.

"It's unfortunate, it's condemnable and certainly we want to see her out as soon as possible," said State Department spokesman Tom Casey of the extended house arrest.

"Aung San Suu Kyi should have been released a long time ago, along with all the other political prisoners that the Burmese government holds," he added.

The Nobel peace laureate has been in detention for more than 11 of the last 17 years and will be confined to her lakeside home in Yangon.

Casey urged other nations to also put pressure on Myanmar's government to secure Suu Kyi's release and demand political changes in the country. "We want to see everyone do what they can to get the regime to change its policies," he added.

Sanctions imposed by the West, including the United States, which renewed its penalties earlier this month, have had little effect on the military, which has ruled Myanmar in various guises since 1962.

AlertNet news is provided by