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SEA: Burma to attend ASEAN Foreign



/* Written  3:49 am  Mar 10, 1994 by DEBRA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:hrnet.asia-pac */
/* ---------- "SEA: Burma to attend ASEAN Foreign" ---------- */
## author     : sauron@xxxxxxxxx
## date       : 09.03.94

----------------------------------------------------------------
DATE=3/8/94
TITLE=ASEAN/BURMA (L)
BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON
DATELINE=BANGKOK
VOICED AT:

INTRO:  OFFICIALS OF THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN
NATIONS (ASEAN) HAVE AGREED BURMA SHOULD BE A GUEST AT THE
ORGANIZATION'S FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING, LATER THIS YEAR.
V-O-A'S DAN ROBINSON REPORTS ASEAN IS GOING AHEAD WITH PLANS
TO BRING BURMA CLOSER TO THE REGIONAL ORGANIZATION --
DESPITE CONTINUING CRITICISM OF THE BURMESE MILITARY
GOVERNMENT'S HUMAN-RIGHTS POLICIES:

TEXT:  THE DECISION TO INVITE BURMA TO ATTEND THIS YEAR'S
MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE WAS MADE AT A MEETING OF ASEAN SENIOR
OFFICIALS IN BANGKOK.

A THAI FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN (SUVIDHYA SIMASKUL) SAYS A
POLICY OF ISOLATING BURMA -- WHICH HE SAID HAS BEEN
SUGGESTED BY WESTERN COUNTRIES -- WOULD NOT CONTRIBUTE TO
DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

THAILAND HAS EXTENSIVE BUSINESS AND POLITICAL CONTACTS WITH
BURMA'S MILITARY LEADERSHIP.  IT HAS LED THE EFFORT TO
GENERATE SUPPORT FOR BURMA TO BE A GUEST AT THIS YEAR'S
FOREIGN MINISTERS CONFERENCE.

// OPT //  BEFORE THIS WEEK'S MEETING, THAI OFFICIALS
SOUNDED OUT THE POSITIONS OF MALAYSIA, SINGAPORE, INDONESIA,
THE PHILIPPINES AND BRUNEI ON THE BURMA QUESTION.  // END
OPT //

LAKSANACHANTHON LAOHAPHAN IS DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF ASEAN AFFAIRS IN THAILAND'S FOREIGN MINISTRY:

                 // LAKSANACHANTHON ACTUALITY //

         THE DECISION HAS NOT BEEN MADE YET WHETHER IT
         (BURMA) SHOULD BE  INVITED AS A GUEST OF ASEAN.  IT
         DEPENDS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE  SITUATION IN
         MYANMAR ITSELF.  SO FAR, ASEAN HAS A COMMON VIEW
         THAT WE SHOULD INVITE MYANMAR AS A GUEST OF THE
         HOST, FOR THE TIME BEING.

                       // END ACTUALITY //

SO, BURMA WILL ATTEND AS A GUEST OF THAILAND.  BUT THE THAI
OFFICIAL'S COMMENTS APPEAR TO SUGGEST ASEAN MEMBERS ARE
HOPING FOR A CHANGE THAT WOULD ALLOW ASEAN -- AS A WHOLE --
TO ISSUE THE INVITATION.

A DECISION BY BURMA'S MILITARY TO OPEN TALKS WITH DETAINED
OPPOSITION LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI WOULD FALL INTO THAT
CATEGORY.

HOWEVER, IN AN INTERVIEW (SUNDAY) WITH THE "NEW YORK TIMES"
NEWSPAPER, BURMA'S MILITARY INTELLIGENCE CHIEF, LIEUTENANT
GENERAL KHIN NYUNT, SEEMS TO RULE OUT EARLY SUBSTANTIVE
TALKS WITH AUNG SAN SUU KYI.

                       // REST OPTIONAL //

IN THE INTERVIEW, KHIN NYUNT SAYS SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIALS
TALKED WITH AUNG SAN SUU KYI SINCE HER MEETINGS WITH A
VISITING U-S CONGRESSMAN.

BUT KHIN NYUNT DESCRIBES HER ATTITUDE AS NEGATIVE AND SAYS
ANY DIALOGUE WILL HAVE TO AWAIT WHAT HE CALLS FULL
DELIBERATIONS WITHIN THE BURMESE MILITARY LEADERSHIP.
(SIGNED)

NEB / FA / WOD

08-Mar-94 5:32 AM EST (1032 UTC) NNNN


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