To do anything less would "betray the non-violent struggle for freedom'' that Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy as well as ethnic minorities have long waged, said Mitch McConnell, the majority whip of President George W Bush's Republican Party.

Washington has imposed trade and investment sanctions on Burma to back its demands for political reform. Pro-democracy icon Suu Kyi has long been under house arrest and her party's offices have been shut by authorities.

Foreign ministers of the 10-member Asean traditionally hold their annual talks in summer and invite counterparts from the US and EU as well as other key trading partners to the meeting.

If Burma takes the helm of ASEAN from Malaysia - the chairmanship status rotates alphabetically, and Burma is known as Myanmar in the grouping - it will host the annual meeting of the Southeast Asian leaders in 2006 and the foreign ministers meeting in 2007.

Politicians in several ASEAN member states, including Malaysia and the Philippines, are trying to stop Burma taking the chairmanship in late 2006. Another member, Singapore, has said ASEAN leaders are worried its international reputation will be tarnished unless Burma implements democratic reforms.

Washington has already indicated it may boycott ASEAN meetings in Burma unless the ruling generals adopt political reforms, including the unconditional release of Suu Kyi.

``I think we've made clear that we expect Burma's leadership to take steps to promote genuine national reconciliation and democracy and engage in meaningful dialogue with members of the political opposition and ethnic groups, and release all political prisoners and respect the fundamental rights of its citizens,'' deputy State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said.

``We've also made clear that the failure of Burma's government to do that and the prevailing situation in Burma complicates our dealings with ASEAN.''

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will have to decide ``whether it's appropriate to participate at senior levels in meetings in Burma based on the situation that exists there at the time, in 2006 and 2007,'' Ereli added.

According to McConnell, the EU as well as the US must make clear that Burma's chairmanship of ASEAN in 2006 is ``completely unacceptable.''

He said given the ``illegitimate'' military regime in Burma and its ``abhorrent democracy and human rights record, which includes the use of rape as a weapon of war,'' such chairmanship would be a ``tremendous loss of face'' to ASEAN and the region.

He said he is disturbed that Thailand, a close ally of the United States, continues to support the military junta.

``Thailand is simply out of step with the region and with other world democracies,'' McConnell said. Continued Thai support for the junta ``serves only to prolong the suffering'' of Suu Kyi and her compatriots.

Suu Kyi is the only recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize to be imprisoned.