BANGKOK, April 3 (Xinhuanet) -- Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi might be freed from house arrest before May 17, Myanmar's Foreign Minister Win Aung said here on Saturday.

    The National League for Democracy (NLD) under Suu Kyi's leadership would be invited to take part in a constitutional convention to start on May 17, Win Aung told the Japanese TV station NHK Bangkok Bureau and Thailand's iTV channel when arriving in here on Saturday to meet his Thai counterpart SurakiatSathirathai.

    When asked whether Suu Kyi would be released for the meeting, Win Aung said "Yes."

    But he declined to elaborate, saying it's too early to set the specific date as when Suu Kyi would be freed.

    Suu Kyi was put under house arrest since the end of last May, when mass violence occurred at a rally held in northeastern Myanmar, at which Suu Kyi was to make a speech.

    Maynmar's national reconciliation process has since run into standstill with the authorities putting Suu Kyi under house arrestand capturing several NLD leaders in the name of security.

    While taking office on Aug. 30, Myanmar Prime Minister Khin Nyunt declared a 7-point roadmap for national reconciliation including resuming long-suspended national convention and draftinga constitution.

    The roadmap, however, failed to set timetable for the convention and the drafting of constitution until Dec. 15, when Win Aung promised an international forum held in Bangkok that the process would be launched in 2004.

    A national convention for drafting a constitution was first called upon in 1993 by the Myanmar government and it has been suspended in 1996 when the Suu Kyi-led NLD withdrew from the conference for disagreeing with the authorities.

    The NLD hasn't declared whether it would participate in the convention expected to be resumed on May 17. Enditem