Big men are scared of her - armed to the teeth and they still run scared

Former Archbishop Desmond Tutu

The event marks 10 years since Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the peace prize for her continued non-violent resistance to the junta.

"In physical stature she is petite and elegant, but in moral stature she is a giant," said the retired Anglican Archbishop from South Africa, Desmond Tutu.

"Big men are scared of her. Armed to the teeth and they still run scared," he said.

Empty seat

The laureates have come together for festivities celebrating 100 years of the peace prize.

But Geir Lundestad, non-voting secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said they were all thinking of the empty chair that belonged to Aung San Suu Kyi.

Aung San Suu Kyi: under house arrest for 13 years

In a letter, the laureates called on Than Swe, the head of the ruling regime, to release of other political prisoners in Burma and comply with UN resolutions demanding negotiations on democracy.

Messages of support came from around the world.

President George W Bush lauded Aung San Suu Kyi, addressing by satellite link a rally of hundreds assembled in the rain in front of the Norwegian parliament building.

"In the face of great hardship she has never wavered in her commitment to peaceful change," Mr Bush said, although he did not add his voice to calls to release other political prisoners.

Global support

The UK Foreign Minister Jack Straw urged the military leaders to use current talks with Aung San Suu Kyi as an opportunity to move the country towards democracy.

"Her strength has given hope to thousands of Burmese who have endured great hardship for holding firm to these beliefs," he said in London, in a statement that follows an appeal by the UK-based human rights charity Amnesty International earlier this week.

The Dalai Lama gave his support to the plea

The event was one in more than 30 taking place around the world, including a peace concert held at Bangkok's Thammasat University where Thais joined Burmese immigrants in support of democracy in the neighbouring country.

The events took place amid reports that the NLD had reopened a key office in Kamayut township, near the University of Yangon, the scene of the 1998 pro-democracy uprising which was crushed by the junta.

Since last October, Aung San Suu Kyi has been holding secret United Nations-brokered talks with junta leaders, which have led to the release of nearly 200 political prisoners.

'Absolutely confident'

Aung San Suu Kyi has not appeared in public since September 2000, when she was put under de facto house arrest for attempting to travel outside the capital Rangoon for a political meeting.

Her telephone has been disconnected, but she reportedly has access to a shortwave radio.

In a videotaped statement released last year, Aung San Suu Kyi said she remained optimistic.

"We are absolutely confident that democracy will come to Burma," she said. "It is important that we achieve our goal quickly because people suffer too much."