The US State Department, in a birthday message, urged the junta to free Aung San Suu Kyi "immediately" and hailed her as a woman who has "dedicated her life to achieving democratic change and promoting progress in Burma."

"We, along with all of her admirers in Burma and abroad, look forward to the day when she will be able to celebrate her birthday in freedom," the State Department statement said.

The European Union's leaders issued a 64-word statement in Suu Kyi's honor and projected an image of her face on to a key EU building.

"The European Council calls for the immediate unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi, who has tirelessly defended universal values of freedom and democracy. Unless she is released, the credibility of the 2010 elections will be further undermined," a draft statement for an EU summit on Friday said.

"The EU will respond with additional targeted measures. We urge Burma/Myanmar to embark on a genuine transition to democracy bringing peace and prosperity to its people," the statement said.

The statement comes as the latest step in a global internet-based campaign to highlight the Nobel Peace Prize winner's plight and honor her birthday with a 64-word message.

Campaign calls for 64 words for Suu Kyi

The campaign, www.64forsuu.org, has already drawn statements from international names such as Paul McCartney, David Beckham and United Nations human-rights commissioner Mary Robinson.

The EU has long called on Burmese authorities to release Suu Kyi, maintaining a lengthy list of sanctions on regime figures and companies linked to the military junta.

In a second paragraph, the EU statement hailed the call from Burma's neighbors for a "free, fair and inclusive political process" and gave its backing to UN efforts in the country.

In a further act of support, British diplomats overnight projected a giant image of Suu Kyi's face on to one of the European Union's headquarters buildings just opposite the summit venue.

In Washington, Burmese exiles toasted the opposition leader at a birthday party on Capitol Hill while in London the wife of Prime Minister Gordon Brown hosted a screening of a film dedicated to her.

Aung San Suu Kyi has spent 13 of the last 19 years in detention since the ruling junta refused to recognize the landslide victory of her National League for Democracy (NLD) in 1990 elections.

nda/AFP/dpa

Editor:Jenifer Abramsohn