Buddhists conclude international meeting

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — More than 1,200 Buddhists from as far afield as Russia and Jamaica concluded an international religious conference with a call to spread Buddha's teachings and preserve the religion's sacred monuments.

Participants did not touch on the controversy surrounding the decision to hold the meeting in Myanmar, which has been ruled by the military since 1962 and has been accused by human rights organizations and others of imprisoning hundreds of Buddhist monks for political activities.

The current regime took power in 1988 after crushing a pro-democracy uprising.

"We don't speak about that," said Tamar Apel, 65, a Buddhist from Israel, who traveled to Yangon with a delegation of 18. "We are only interested in meditation."

In the statement released at the end of the meeting, participants agreed to protect and preserve Buddhist monuments, to hold Buddhist summits frequently to exchange ideas, and to establish more Buddhist centers around the world as a way to spread Buddha's teachings.