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Compare and contrast: news from Jap
- Subject: Compare and contrast: news from Jap
- From: nin@xxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 03 Mar 1997 05:22:00
Subject: Compare and contrast: news from Japan and Australia
Japan to extend 4 bil. yen debt-relief grant to Myanmar+
========================================================
TOKYO, March 3 Kyodo - Japan will provide Myanmar with 4 billion
yen in a debt-relief grant to help ease the country's debt burden
arising from repayment of yen loans, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.
The two countries exchanged notes in Yangon earlier in the day
on the grant to be given as a portion for the April-September first
half of fiscal 1996, which ends March 31, the ministry said.
Since Myanmar was declared a least-developed developing country
(LDDC) in 1987, Japan has extended debt-relief grants to cover
interest payments and repayments of part of the principal with the
intention of producing an effect equivalent to canceling its debts.
Myanmar owed Japan more than 400 billion yen when Japanese loans
were stopped in 1988 following the military takeover of the
government.
*** This is the 17th debt-relief grant extended to Myanmar by the
Japanese government. The last similar grant of 4 billion yen was
extended last November.
==Kyodo
KWS-13:52-03-03-97
..................................................................
***Australia condemns Rangoon over "brutal" Karen war***
==================================================
CANBERRA, March 3 (Reuter) - Australia on Monday condemned
the Burmese military regime's "brutal war" against minority
ethnic Karens and urged Thailand to continue protecting the
thousands of refugees who have fled across the border.
"The government condemns the Burmese government's brutal war
against the Karen people living near the border with Thailand,"
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told parliament.
Australia, through its embassy in Rangoon, had repeated its
call for the Burmese military to immediately withdraw and to
seek peace with the Karen through negotiations.
"Our embassy in Rangoon has conveyed my call on the Burmese
government to withdraw its forces immediately and seek to
resolve its differences with the Karen through negotiation and
dialogue," Downer told parliament.
The latest offensive by Burmese troops against the Karen
National Union rebels, fighting for greater autonomy, forced
thousands of Karen civilians to flee into Thailand last month.
Three Karen refugee camps in Thailand were recently
attacked, leaving an estimated 10,000 people homeless, Downer
said.
The U.S. State Department and human rights groups have
accused Thailand of forcibly repatriating refugees. Thailand has
denied the allegations.
Downer said Australia's embassy in Bangkok had been assured
it was not Thai policy to forcibly repatriate civilians, but he
had sought clarification.
He also said he raised the issue with Thai Foreign Minister
Prachuab Chiayasarn during talks in Canberra last week.
"He assured me that Thai authorities are taking steps to
improve the safety of the refugees, such as moving them away
from the border area," Downer said.
"I urge the Thai authorities to continue their policy of
providing security to refugees escaping conflict."
0437 030397 GMT