World leaders demand the release and an end to the trial of Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, as she celebrates her 64th birthday in prison.

The Nobel Laureate has been under detention and house arrest for 13 of the past 19 years since the junta refused to recognize her National League for Democracy's (NLD) landslide victory in the elections in 1990.

The military regime is now trying her at Yangon's notorious Insein Prison over a bizarre incident saying that she violated her house arrest after an American man swam to her home.

As she celebrated her birthday with inmates and prison guards on Friday, European Union leaders threatened the Myanmar regime that they will slap on new sanctions unless it released Suu Kyi.

"The European Council calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi, who has tirelessly defended the universal values of freedom and democracy," they said in a statement released after a two-day EU summit in Brussels.

"Unless she is released, with all other political prisoners, the credibility of the 2010 elections will be further undermined. The EU will respond with additional targeted measures," it said.

"We urge Myanmar to embark on a genuine transition to democracy bringing peace and prosperity to its people."

European President Jose Manuel Barroso said, ''Today is the birthday of this extraordinary woman, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi, but this will also be her 2,209th day of detention following her arrest in 2003. Her message and vision can never be silenced. All of us in Europe wish to see her restored to freedom as well as the release of all Myanmar political prisoners and prisoners of conscience."

The European Union extended visa bans and asset freezes on the Myanmar military government and its backers for another year in April. The sanctions were tightened after a crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist monks in September 2007.

Meanwhile, around 300 supporters gathered at the NLD's headquarters in Yangon and offered food to Buddhist monks at dawn, before releasing 64 doves and balloons into the air as a symbol of freedom before sharing a birthday cake.

FTP/SME/HAR