'Grave reservations' on Burma poll

Australia has expressed "grave reservations" about Burma's plan to hold its first
election in 20 years on November 7.
The country's ruling military junta named the date on Friday.
But concerns have been raised that the poll will be neither free nor fair.
Amnesty International says the regime has prevented more than 2000 political
prisoners - including high-profile activist Aung San Suu Kyi - from contesting the
election.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith was also concerned about the election's legitimacy.
"We have grave reservations about the election process and the country's highly
restrictive political environment," he said in a statement.
Mr Smith said Australia had repeatedly urged Burma to allow freedom of speech and
assembly, and to work with the UN to make the election transparent.
But he said he hoped the elections would mark the beginning of a return to
democracy, and it was up to the Burmese people to decide whether to vote or not.
Some are boycotting the poll.
Mr Smith supported sending observers to monitor the poll, although he did not say if
they would come from Australia.
Amnesty called on Australia to use its regional influence to press Burma to make the
election free and fair.
Jenny Leong, Burma campaign co-ordinator for Amnesty International Australia, said
Australia should encourage Burma's South-East Asian neighbours to press for a free
election.
"Obviously Australia is a key player in the region (and) has a specific role to
play," she told AAP.
Australia should call for the immediate release of all political prisoners and watch
closely for any more crackdowns, she said.
Suu Kyi's party won a landslide majority in Burma's 1990 election, but the junta did
not honour the result.