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BurmaNet News: December 19, 1995 #3



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Subject: BurmaNet News: December 19, 1995 #306


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The BurmaNet News: December 19, 1995
Issue #306

HEADLINES:
==========
HINDUSTAN TIMES : INDO-MYANMAR BORDER TRADE CROSSES RS 3 CR
INDEPENDENT REPORT: FAMILY ARRIVES FOR CHRISTMAS REUNION 
ARAB NEWS: BURMESE JUNTA KILLS FIVE ROHINGYA YOUTHS IN ARAKAN
DVB: OPPOSITION RADIO REPORTS DEFECTION OF TWO GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS
BKK POST: GLOBAL LABOUR UNION BLAMES BURMA JUNTA FOR 
NATION: BURMA: WE HAVE A SHARED DESTINY WITH ASEAN
ASIA PACIFIC CONSORTIUM ON BURMA: RESOLUTION
BURMANET: BRIEF BUSINESS REPORTS
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HINDUSTAN TIMES : INDO-MYANMAR BORDER TRADE CROSSES RS 3 CR
December 14, 1995
>From : FTUB(WB) <burtu.atubdo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>

CALCUTTA, Dec. 13: Cross border trade between India and Myanmar through 
the newly opened land route connecting Moreh in Manipur with Tamu in 
Myanmar has during the last six months crossed the Rs. 3-crore(10 million) mark. 
This has prompted the need to establish a similar land route between Champhai in 
Mizoram with adjoining Burmese province, which will start opening soon, 
according to Indian Commerce Ministry sources.
 
Both these land routes as well as the newly launched biweekly direct air flights 
between Calcutta and Yangon by Indian Airlines are expected to ease considerable 
the earlier difficulties encountered by the Indian traders. Absence of direct shipping 
lines and lack of other transportation facilities were stifling the growth of bilateral 
trade, and the Indian business community had to depend mainly on costly carriage 
facilities offered by Thai and Singaporean airlines.
 
The resumption of direct air links after a gap of 22 years is understood to have evoke 
tremendous interest in corporate circle here as quite a number of Calcutta and 
Northeast based industries and firms have begun exploring possibilities of setting up 
marketing offices in Yangon, the capital of Myanmar.
 
The Indian multinational ITC is understood to have sent a senior official to Yangon 
last week to hold discussion with Myanmar Chamber of Commerce on mutually 
beneficial business cooperation as many ITC products are through the company's 
offices in  Singapore.
 
Official of both India and Myanmar are also examining the possibility of reopening 
very soon the suspended auction center for the famous Myanmarese teak wood 
somewhere near the border, so that Indian traders can take part in it.
 
One of the most compelling reasons why most Indian companies which have already 
gained a foothold in Myanmar through their agents and subagents are eager to have 
their own offices in that, due to supply delays, a lot of spurious goods with Indian-
made labels are flooding the markets there causing huge financial losses and damage 
to their reputation.
 
Thus, deployment of these companies' own personnel in Myanmar will generate 
increasing business, transportation of high-demand Indian consumer goods including 
tea, spices, pharmaceutical products, toiletries, cosmetics, tyres, textiles and hosiery, 
etc., by air cargo, the official pointed out.
 
********************************************

INDEPENDENT REPORT: FAMILY ARRIVES FOR CHRISTMAS REUNION 
WITH SUU KYI      December 19,1995

RANGOON, Burma -- The family of dissident leader Aung San Suu Kyi arrived
Monday to help her celebrate the Christmas holiday, her first outside
detention since 1988.
Her British husband Michael Aris, an Oxford don, and their younger son Kim
are visiting for the second time since her release from six years of house
arrest in July.

****************************************************************

ARAB NEWS: BURMESE JUNTA KILLS FIVE ROHINGYA YOUTHS IN ARAKAN
December 14, 1995    (English Saudi Arabian daily newspaper)

Five Rohingya Muslim youths from Arakan province were shot dead after 
torture by the Burmese military junta recently, according to a stetement 
issued by the Rohingya Solidarity ORganization (RSO).
 A section of military intelligence belonging to Unit 18 of  Buthidaung 
township, some 80 miles north of Akyab, captial of Arakan state, had 
arrested these youths from different villages under the township for allegedly 
having links with rebel groups. In course of interrogation, they were 
subjected to severe torture and later on all of them were shot dead behind a 
hill west of the military unit.
 The RSO gave the names of the victims as: Abu Siddique, 20, from Sin Oo 
Byin village, Muhammad Shafi, 22, and Nazir Hussain, 21, from Mingyi 
village, Anwar, 19, from Migyagze village and Abdur Rahim, 35, from Pondgaw 
Byin village.
 RSO siad extrajudicial killings of Rohingyas are a common affair as 
perpetrators have no fear of being prosecuted. The organization gave 
chronological details of some brutal murders commiitted by the so-called 
State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).
 It said Imam Sharif, 45, of Sikdarpara village near Maungdaw was inhumanely 
beaten to death, Na Sa Ka (border security forces) of Khandaung killed Shah 
Alam, 35, of Ponnoylake village by beating, NSK bayoneted Muhammad haroon to 
death as he was ill and could not follow NSK orders to load belongings on a 
boat, and NSK fired indiscriminately on a fishing boat at Pyin Pyu creek 
killing four fishermen.
 The RSO said besides massacring Rohingya youths, the military junta is also 
indulged in serious human rights violations like rape, torture and arbitrary arrests.

******************************************************

DVB: OPPOSITION RADIO REPORTS DEFECTION OF TWO GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS
December  15, 1995  (Democratic Voice of Burma)

   It has been learned that privates Myint Kyu and Aung Myint from the SLORC's
State Law and Order Restoration Council No 103 light infantry division,
stationed at Kalaele Gwin phonetic in the KNU's Karen National Union 7th Brigade
region, defected, with arms and ammunition, and sought refuge with the 6th
Company of the 35th Battalion of the Thai Border Police Force on 6th December.
The defectors said the soldiers were facing many difficulties because of lack of
food and medical supplies, clothing and appliances. They said their salaries
were not paid in full because their salaries had been deducted by the senior
officers. The defectors said 11 of them managed to escape but the other nine
were captured. Because of the lack of supplies, comrades from the Burmese
military forces frequently rob the Thai villages. This report is from the Shwe
Baho Si Studio.

********************************************

BKK POST: GLOBAL LABOUR UNION BLAMES BURMA JUNTA FOR 
WORKERS' LAYOFF    December 19,1995             Singapore, AFP

A Global trade unions group said yesterday that Burma's 
military junta should be blamed for an impending layoff of 
workers in Burmese garment factories following protests over 
alleged human rights abuses.

"It is the corrupt military regime which is to blame,:" the 
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions-Asian and 
Pacific Regional Organisation (ICFTU-APRO) said in the 
statement published by Singapore's Straits Times daily. 

The labour group was responding to the newspaper's December 
14 article by a top official of Hong Kong-based Victoria 
Garment Manufacturing Co, alleging that pressure from US 
human rights activists hampered exports of garments from his 
Burmese factories.

The opinion piece by Joe Pang was first carried in the Paris-
based International Herald Tribune on December 12. Pang said 
his company expected to lay off up to half of its 3,300 
workers from his four factories in Burma in the next few 
months because exports to the US market could drop by 69 
percent to $10 million in 1995 from $32 million last year.

Workers' average pay, which is mainly calculated by piece 
rate, has already fallen to $12 a month from between $30 and 
$40 previously, he said. Pang said many of his American 
customers relented to pressure from human rights groups, 
including the New York-based Coalition for Corporate 
Withdrawal From Myanmar (Burma), which claimed that the junta 
violated human rights and repressed democracy.

"These activists threatened to picket any stores selling 
Myanmar-made goods. They also threaten to buy shares of any 
publicly-listed company importing such goods to voice their 
views at annual stock-holders' meetings," Pang said.

 "But do they consider the rights of workers in Myanmar," 
Pang asked. "Their misguided actions will hurt the very 
people they purport to help." ICFTU-APRO general secretary 
Takashi Izumi said in his response that Pang was wrong about 
human rights activists costing Burmese workers their jobs. 

***************************************

NATION: BURMA: WE HAVE A SHARED DESTINY WITH ASEAN
December 18, 1995

Foreign Minister U Ohn Gyaw  accompanied Burmese junta head 
Gen Than Shwe to attend the first summit of Southeast Asian 
leaders. He talked to a small group of reporters, including 
The Nation's Yindee Lertcharoenchok, before his departure. 
Here are excerpts of the interview.

Opening statement

In 1967, when the Bangkok Declaration [on the establishment 
of Asean] was made on the 8 of August, then Myanmar [Burma] 
was invited particularly by Adam Malik, then foreign minister 
of Indonesia to participate. He took pains to visit Myanmar 
and explained the vision of the founders of the Asean at one 
stage, that Southeast Asian nations will be emerging a very 
sound and very solid economic potential.

That was the vision of the founders of Asean. At that 
particular time, there was a Vietnam War and there was Seato 
and a few countries in this region were committed militarily 
or under a defence pact, with the so-called entangling in the 
Cold War.

>From the very beginning Myanmar, as an independent country, 
we fashioned out foreign policy to be at first neutral and 
then later on independent, and then of course independent and 
active foreign policy.

In the same time, since the Bandung Conference took place in 
May 1955, we were also committed there that we would practice 
the five principles of peaceful coexistence. We were very 
much convinced that soon after we came out of the colonial 
yoke and the World War II, we were very much convinced that 
at one stage Southeast Asian nations will be emerging as what 
we see at the present day.

Since 1988 we have changed our political system and our 
economic system. Now we are introducing a more refined social 
system. In that initiative, we can claim that we are heading 
in the right direction and with the support of the people, 
that we are making headway in our economic development, in 
our political institutions as well as the efforts in the social fields.

Last year we exported over one million ton of rice and nearly 
three quarters of a million tons of beans and pulp. And we 
have minerals and we have off-shore oil exploration and we 
are getting enough commercial amount of gas which will be 
exported to Thailand and elsewhere.

We are now able to uplift the living standard of the people. 
We are looking after the people living in the border area. At 
one time they were under the insurgency, now they have a 
meaningful way of life to look for the future.

That is the reason why from the very beginning, we had 
impetus of initiative. We happened to be leader in the Non-
aligned Movement and we took part very actively. U Thant, as 
a person, had been leading the United Nations for quite 
sometime. Our participation at the United Nations had made 80 
colonial countries independent, and right now the fourth 
committee of the United Nations has no more work on 
decolonization. So these are the efforts that Myanmar has 
been making at the front line.

Now we are hopeful, we are confident, and we are convinced 
that by putting more degree of association with Asean, then 
of course we will be contributing our potential to the 
prosperity of the region.

On Burma and Asean
 
Does your country expect to integrate into the Association of 
Southeast Asian Nations? If yes, When?

In as much as we are prepared, we have to take into 
consideration whether or how Asean is prepared, meaning that 
as soon as we are sure of our political and economic progress.

Of course, with the bilateral good relations between Myanmar 
and Thailand, I was invited as the guest of the host [Thai] 
government the year before last and last year in Brunei.

Taking the opportunity now that we have changed our political 
and economic system, we have indicated the accession to the 
Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC). I handed over the 
letter of accession to His Royal Prince Mohamad Bolkiah in 
Brunei in the last Asean Ministerial Meeting and of course 
with this we expect to become, we aspire to become an 
observer in Asean.

In the Asean procedure, there are certain things that we have 
to take into a consideration. So it will in accordance with 
the Asean procedure. In the meantime, what we could do, what 
we are supposed to do, what we are obligated to do internally 
in our domestic economic and social policy, then we will be 
doing out best.

What are those obligations that you have to do to obtain an 
observer status?

One country cannot obtain an observer status overnight. By 
looking at what has been arranged with Vietnam, Laos and 
Cambodia, accedding to the TAC is not enough. Asean has over 
20 years of experience. It is not only the achievement, but 
there are certain visions, certain arrangements and certain 
preparations, not for one country but for the whole region.

In order to catch up what has been done for 20 over years by 
the individual Southeast Asian nation and of course the Asean 
as a whole, there are many things, the Asean Regional Forum, 
Asean Free Trade Area, and many things connected with the 
Asia Pacific Economic Forum.

These are the things that we have to take  out time. Even 
though we would like to be planting ourselves into the Asean 
fold overnight, it would be counter-productive both to the 
Asean as well as to Myanmar.

Asean members are hopeful that the three other Southeast 
Asian countries could join the Association before the year 
2000? What is your comment?

In accordance with Asean procedure, if Asean is prepared, of 
course, we will be more than happy. We would not like to 
intrude, to demand. We would like to be in accordance with 
the process and principle.

There are certain obligations such as Afta or Apec that your 
country will have to adopt, do you expect your country to 
join in the Afta process?

The process is like a river going and we are like the 
passengers, because there is a set code going on. They cannot 
wait for us. We have to catch up. How far we can catch up 
depends on our efforts domestically.

For example we have to liberalise our laws, we have to make 
some arrangements for the expansion of our trade, and there 
are many things, many considerations. You have seen from 
yesterday [Friday], there were many agreements, many 
documents signed. There are now having more concrete efforts 
going on in many directions_ that we have to catch up. We 
need training. We need to be sure ourselves that we can contribute.

If you look at our country, we have 45 million people, 
260,000 square miles of area, and then we have potential, we 
have man power, we have natural resources. When we come in we 
would not be a sleeping partner. We would like to contribute 
our potential. But without experience and without a real 
foundation, one cannot do it.

What is the most appealing aspect of Asean for your country?

Today everybody is thinking about peace. Peace does not mean 
no war. When there is no war but people are hungry, then 
there is no peace. If there is no war but if there are some 
commotion, some troubles in an individual country, then the 
region cannot develop.

Right now we are on the right track. We are now concentrating 
more on the economic development of our country, and so, 
complementary, do the other countries in the region. This is 
the aspiration. We feel that we are a Southeast Asian nation 
and we would like to aspire to the prosperity of Southeast 
Asian nations.

Asean is now very much solid in a leading role, and of course 
we would like to be part of it. If the 10 Southeast Asian 
countries can be as quick as possible, a member of Asean, 
then it is of course a solid proof that we have s shared 
destiny, mutual confidence and mutual efforts for the prosperity.

>From the outcome of the Asean summit, it seems that Asean is 
moving on to another level, trying to incorporate Asean and 
the Mekong subregion. What is your opinion?

Now that economics is no longer the economics of 25 years 
ago. Once cannot go into one direction because development 
has many facets. If you want to develop your own industry and 
your own internal economy, then at one stage there will be 
competition among the countries.

If there is competition, if they are contradictory and if 
they are not complementary, then it is very dangerous. That 
is the reason for the Mekong project, because people begin to 
think of, the resources as well as making use of natural 
things. That is a good sign. If one can make use of nature to 
the advantage of human beings, then of course it is good. We 
are very much interested and keen to learn and participate in 
it. Of course, we look forward to have an observer status in 
the next Asean Ministerial Meeting in Indonesia.

On Thai-Burmese relations

There are rumours that Burma is demanding a huge compensation 
from Thailand for the killing of the Burmese fishermen in August?

We have very good bilateral relations with Thailand, and the 
meeting between the leaders was very cordial. When the 
problem came up, of course, you have to follow who originated 
it. It's not the government, not the two governments. It is 
the company and local people. This can be resolved at the local level.

What ever happened happened. There is a natural tendency that 
those poor people when their husbands die they are helpless, 
so the idea and the indication is that if there is some arrangement, 
financially to those people, then the matter can be resolved.

This is the word that the local people think. But in the name 
of the government we never said that "Look, Thailand, you, 
must pay compensation." No. It is not our policy. In the 
meeting of the two leaders yesterday, it was resolved that 
the problem can be resolved in a very cooperative and meaningful way.

So is it just a rumour that there is a demand for financial compensation?

It is not a rumour, it is a certain obligation of the part of 
the company and the company authorities that they should do. 
What they are doing or not doing does not concern the 
government. The government has no policy to impose on another 
government that you must pay compensation.

It seems that the Thai military has been quite active in the 
establishment of Thailand's relationship with its neighbours. 
As for your country, do you feel more comfortable dealing 
with the military_ Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, Gen Chettha 
Thanajaro_ or do you feel more comfortable dealing with the 
foreign ministry?

 General Chavalit has personal friends. he visited Burma in 
1989 and from that time on he has been frequenting the 
country. He has established many friends. Traditionally, our 
people, our governments have been very friendly with the Thai 
leaders, starting from Chatichai Choonhavan, Arthit 
Kamlangek, who was then the supreme commander, because they 
have the contacting communications.

The time of Prem Tinasulanond also he visited Burma, and 
Siddhi Savetsila. All these people are military people, 
formerly. Of course they have the contacts. Of course Gen 
Chavalit has the same accent and the same aspiration to be friendly.

With the foreign ministry in the past seven years, I met your 
five foreign ministers very closely. Kasem Masemsri is the 
latest one and before him is the short period of Thaksin Shinawatra. 
Before Thaksin, all the foreign ministers are very close to each other 
and that is why we were able to establish a joint commission. 

Arsa Sarasin, he started the initiative to have this joint 
commission and I complied. So what more I should do? Foreign 
Ministry to foreign ministry, we have a channel and the 
mechanism. We are resolving questions, very amicably.

There are some comments in Thailand that this kind of foreign 
policy may send different messages to neighbouring countries. 
Do you feel that way, that the foreign ministry is sending 
one message to you but you have  your friend sending another 
message about the resolution of problems?

As long as there is no problem growing, it shows that they 
are compatible. As far as Myanmar is concerned, in the past 
5-6 years, we are able to establishing closer relations with 
the five neighbouring countries. With Thailand, of course 
with common border this long, we will have some problems. But 
we have the perception that there is no problem which cannot 
be resolved. We will resolved it by mutual accommodation as 
well as by mutual initiative.

Thailand wants the border to be reopened especially the three 
border crossings. What are the conditions or obstacles to 
their reopening?

There are no conditions and no obstacles. There is a saying 
in Chinese that the one who ties the string will have to unite it.

So what has to be united?

You have to go to the exact situation. For example, the 
friendship bridge. Before the bridge was built, there was an 
island. When we agreed that the bridge be built, the island 
disappeared. We didn't it. Who did it? The government didn't 
do it. So as long as there is the original position of the 
island, then of course the border will be opened.

In Mae Sai. When there were some insurgents going in and out, 
we were attacked and a few people died. We said please, we 
didn't start it. Who started it? Of course you have to resolve it 
on your own. But it is not the government. It is the local people.

What do you want them to do? Do you want them to compensate 
for the destruction?

Whatever arrangement that they can make it at the provincial 
level. We have our won people on our side. We do not want to 
overblow it, because on the other side, people also have 
feelings. If they don't welcome it, then of course the 
problem will be at the local level.

My understanding is that maybe the local authorities want 
compensation for the loss of houses and other acts of destruction?

Of course, but not local authorities, the people who suffered 
without their own fault. This is the main criteria.

Does the Burmese side also want the Thai side to hand over 
the people who intruded?

 Yes.

When will the border be reopened then?

It will be a simple matter of how soon this mistake is 
corrected. (TN)

***************

ASIA PACIFIC CONSORTIUM ON BURMA: RESOLUTION
December 18. 1005

                    Asia Pacific Consortium on Burma
                 December 17-18, 1995, Bangkok, Thailand

                               Resolution

An Asia Pacific Consortium on Burma attended by 36 participants
from 26 organizations/ groups in 12 Asia Pacific countries and
other continents held on December 17-18, 1995 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Noting that since the release of the 1991 Nobel Peace Laureate awardee 
Aung San Suu Kyi, the general situation in Burma has not improved.

Noting with grave concerns that:

1. Despite of the decision by the elected people's
representatives from the National League for Democracy to no
longer participate in the process, the State Law and Order
Council (SLORC) is continuing with its National Convention.

2. The ceasefire which the SLORC military dictatorship is
coercing the ethnic nationalities to agree to, do not represent
progress towards genuine peace and national reconciliation.

3. Despite of the repeated calls by the United Nations and the
others the Slorc has refused to enter into a political dialogue
with the democratic forces led by Aung San Suu Kyi and the ethnic
nationalities.

4. Repressive Laws still remain; hundreds of political prisoners
are still languishing in jail.

5. The model of development being embraced by the SLORC, promoted
by the Asian Development Bank and actively being pursued by ASEAN
and most foreign investors, is certain to result in great
environmental destruction; further displacement of indigenous
peoples; further enrichment of a small and illegitimate,
additional inflationary pressure, and hindrance of the process of
democratization.

6. The multinational investments that are financing the SLORC
military dictatorship are continuing regardless of the gross
human rights violations; particularly against workers, women,
children, indigenous peoples.

7. The ASEAN members support the SLORC despite of its human
rights abuses and are working to accept it as a member.

Therefore, the Asia Pacific Consortium on Burma:

Expresses its grave concerns over the continuing serious
violations of human rights in Burma. The UN General Assembly's
Third Committee recently adopted a resolution, for the fourth
consecutive year, condemning the State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC) for its failure to respect human rights. Clearly,
the "Constructive Engagement" policy, adopted by ASEAN in the
past, has not resulted in greater respect for human rights nor
the return of democracy in Burma.

The Consortium is particularly disturbed by the most recent
developments related to the work of the National Convention
responsible for drawing up a new constitution for the country

Calls for unconditional release of all political prisoners
immediately;

Urges the SLORC to immediately enter into a genuine dialogue with
Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD, other leaders of the democratic
opposition and representatives of ethnic nationalities aimed at
achieving national reconciliation and the restoration of
democracy;

Calls on the SLORC to halt the National Convention since it has
no legitimacy. The NLD which is has the majority of the
elected-representatives did not join in the process.

Recognizes the legitimacy of the NLD under the leadership of Aung
San Suu Kyi to be the main convenor of the National Convention;

Urges the ASEAN, and the International Community to exert more
efforts to instruct the SLORC to enter into a meaningful dialogue
with the democratic forces under the supervision of the United
Nations' Secretary General;

Expresses its concern over the multilateral investment projects;

Strongly urges the ASEAN to take appropriate measures to support
human rights in Burma as ASEAN's Constructive Engagement Policy
benefits only SLORC but harms the people of Burma.

Also urges ASEAN to adopt the people-centered sustainable
development;

Urges the Secretary General of the United Nations to fully
implement the December 1994, 1995 resolutions of the UN General
Assembly which call for the Secretary General to assist in the
national reconciliation process.

Calls on Burma's neighbors and the international community as a
whole to impose an embargo on arms and war supplies to SLORC; and

Call on tourists, particularly those from within ASEAN, not to
support "Visit Myanmar Year 1996" which is causing great hardship
to the people of Burma Forced relocations, forced labor and a
disruption of essential services.

                            FREE BURMA NOW !!

December 18, 1995
Bangkok, Thailand

****************************************************************

BURMANET: BRIEF BUSINESS REPORTS
December 19, 1995
information provided by M. Beer and abridged by BurmaNet

STAR CRUISE TO OPERATE IN BURMA

Asia's leading cruise operator Star Cruise has placed a US$ 700
million (S$ 987 million) order for two luxury vessels which it says will be
among the world's largest and fastest cruise ships.  Both ships will provide 
seven-night cruises in South-east Asia throughout the year. Destinations 
will include Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Burma and the 
Andaman Islands in India.  Star Cruise is a wholly owned company of 
Malaysia's Genting International PLC.

BURMA TO SET UP MORE FURNITURE JOINT VENTURES

Burma will set up more joint-venture furniture factories to reduce the
country's exports of log and boost those of manufactured products, according to
the official newspaper "New Light of Myanmar" .  Forestry Minister Lieutenant 
General Chit Swe made this remark at an inaugural ceremony of a furniture 
factory invested in by Yangon Wood Industries Ltd of France.  The French 
put in an investment of 3 million US dollars and will transfer 20 percent of the 
equity to the state-run Myanmar Timber Enterprise after five years of operation.

SWISS GARDEN TO OPEN A HOTEL IN BURMA

Swiss-Garden Management (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd aspires to become a major player
in the hospitality business in South-East Asia by the turn of the century.  The
company plans to have a hotel in key cities within the region such as in Singapore, 
Vietnam, Burma, and Cambodia. Swiss-Garden is in the preliminary
stages of negotation with a local party in Burma for the setting up of a hotel
operation in Rangoon.

SHIPPING SERVICES FOR BURMA

Tajo Bricks Bhd has formed an understanding with a shipping company operating
from Japan and South Korea to assist in its shipping activities in South East
Asia.  It also plans to expand its shipping business for a more stable income in
future.  It is already providing shipping services to Burma, and it has started to 
assist Eastern Car Liner which is operating in Japan and South Korea, to ship 
cars and bulldozers to Rangoon.

TOTAL'S INVESTMENT IN ASIA

Asia is becoming one of the major pillars of the TOTAL group, which expects
to earn 20% of its operating results in this region by the year 2000, up from
15% currently, and to strengthen its already enviable position as a natural gas
producer. Active in Asia since 1955, the French oil group had one billion French
Francs in operating income on the continent in 1994, with investment worth FF
1.3 billion, or 10% of the group's total, Jacques Lafond, TOTAL's
Director-General for Asia, indicated on December 6.

 Thanks to the gas fields of Thailand, Indonesia and Burma, Asia accounts for 
40% of TOTAL's natural gas production outside the Middle East.

Distribution of fuels is closed to foreign companies in many countries,
except for Cambodia, which will have 25 TOTAL service stations in 1998. TOTAL is
developing its distribution of special products (lubricants, LPG solvents) in
most Asian countries.

BOISE ATTRACTS GOODS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

   Pat and Sue Sheridan of Boise started Wild Flower Imports as a wholesale
business about three years ago.  Pat had sold computer products in the Far East, 
so he had lots of sources of goods. Sue had been an international banker.

   They opened a retail store about a year ago. The three-room shop in the
Belgravia building is filled with Buddhist statues rescued from abandoned
temples; tribal masks and art pieces from New Guinea, Borneo and Burma; and
antique elm wood furniture items from Asia.

(Comment by Michael Beer.....I find the use of the word rescue here to be a
euphemism for theft of religious artifacts to be sold for profit.  Is there someone in 
the FBI we can refer this case to?)

NEW JAPANESE AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN

The Japanese government approved the appointment of a new ambassador to Myanmar
last week.  His name is Yoichi Yamaguchi, 58 years old, from Fujian Province, China.
Graduated from Tokyo University in 1960. Former board member of the Metal Mining
Agency of Japan and ambassador to Turkey. Ambassador stationed in Osaka since
February 1994.

*******************************************************************