Aung San Suu Kyi released

YANGON, Myanmar (CNN) -- Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been released after 19 months of house arrest, the Myanmar government has announced.

"Aung San Suu Kyi has liberty to carry out all activities, including her political party, as of today. There are no conditions or restrictions, because we are confident that we can trust each other," said Col. Hla Min, speaking on behalf of the government.

The government proclaimed Monday "a day of national unity" that "marks a new page for the people of Myanmar and the international community."

The Nobel peace laureate, who has been confined to her lakeside villa since September 2000, was yet to come out and appear in public.

The government's statement did not mention Suu Kyi by name, but Yangon's public relations firm in Washington said she was referred to in the statement reading: "We shall recommit ourselves to allowing all of our citizens to participate freely in the life of our political process, while giving priority to national unity, peace and stability of the country as well as the region."

In Yangon, a spokesman for Myanmar's military junta said no details of any reconciliation deal or what her political role would be were available.

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"She can travel. We will sort of cooperate because she is a prominent person. The government is responsible for her security," spokeman Col. Hla Min told Associated Press by telephone.

"This means there is no condition (on her release), but we will cooperate."

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party said she would leave for party headquarters around midday (0530 GMT).

The leader of the NLD and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, the 56-year-old leader has been under house arrest for 19 months and under some form of detention for the last 12 years.

Speculation of her impending release had increased in recent days, after special U.N. envoy Razali Ismail said there were major developments that would soon occur in the country formerly known as Burma.

The news release also said Myanmar had released 600 detainees in recent months "and shall continue to release those who will cause no harm to the community nor threaten the existing peace, stability and unity of the nation."

It was not known whether that referred to other leaders of the NLD, also being held under house arrest.

Political sources told Reuters Aung San Suu Kyi would make a statement at the headquarters of the NLD around midday local time.

International reaction

Australia, which has long called for the release of Aung San Suu Kyi, was among the first nations to comment on her release from house arrest.

"The freeing of the NLD leader is a positive step in the process of political reconciliation," read a statement from Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer.

"We encourage the Burmese Government to build on this by taking further steps to advance the process.

"We will continue to encourage it to release the remaining political prisoners, permit the re-opening of NLD offices and open a substantive political dialogue with the NLD and Burma's ethnic groups," his statement said.

Sanctions credited

She was confined to her house from 1989 to 1995, and her release then was marked by jubilant scenes as crowds thronged the street outside her residence.

Diplomats say the junta wants to avoid this happening again, and has been trying to reach an agreement with Aung San Suu Kyi that she will keep a low profile after her release.

Suu Kyi has not been seen in public since September 2000.

The NLD, which scored a runaway victory in Myanmar's last democratic elections in 1990 but was never allowed to take power, has said Aung San Suu Kyi's release must be unconditional.

The international community has also pressed for an unconditional release.

Diplomats and analysts say sanctions on Myanmar, which have pushed its tottering economy to the brink of collapse, are the main reason for the junta's efforts to strike a deal with the opposition.

The military insists it is committed to bringing democracy to Myanmar, but says that moving too fast would risk the disintegration of the multi-ethnic country.