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Michael Aris refused visa--bbc



ERRORS-TO:INET:strider@xxxxxxxxxxx
FROM:NBH03114@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Burmese Relief Center--Japan
DATE:April 26, 1995
TIME: 7:11PM JST
SUBJ:Michael Aris refused visa--BBC

(BRC-J received by fax the following transcript of a BBC
broadcast and statement.)

BBC  World Service
April 25, 1995
21:16
East Asia Today
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Cue: The United Nations Secretary-General Boutros
Boutros Ghali has complained to the Burmese government
over its refusal to grant a visa to Michael Aris, the husband
of the Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who's
currently under house arrest in Rangoon.  Mr. Aris last
visited his wife at Christmas last year.  A spokesman for the
UN Secretary-General said Dr. Boutros Ghali had asked the
Burmese government to review its decision.  From New
York, our U.N. correspondent Rob Watson now reports.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

The chief spokesman for the Secretary-General said that Dr.
Boutros Ghali had learned only recently of the Burmese
government's decision to refuse Michael Aris a visa.  The
spokesman said the Secretary-General had now asked the
Burmese government to take a prompt review of its decision. 
He didn't say how the protest had been made, but he did say
that as yet there had been no reply from the Burmese
government.  Mr. Aris has in the past been allowed access to
Aung San Suu Kyi, and it's unclear precisely why permission
has been refused this time.  One theory is that the  Burmese
government was angered by his bringing out a statement
from his wife after his last visit.  The U.N. has been trying to
persuade the Burmese government to improve its human
rights record for some time.  It's called for the release of
Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners ever since it
began a dialogue with the government at the end of last year.
=========================================

Statement issued by the Spokesman of the United Nations
Secretary-General in New York at the noon press briefing,
25 April 1995

The Secretary-General has, since the beginning of his
dialogue with the Government of Myanmar, urged that Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi be released as soon as possible and that,
meanwhile, she be allowed broad contacts with the outside
world.  He has recently learned with grave concern that Dr.
Michael Aris, the husband of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, has
been unable to obtain a visa to visit his wife.  He has
expressed to the government of Myanmar the hope that this
situation will be promptly reviewed.