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U.S. SANCTIONS ON BURMA




DATE=3/6/97
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-35878
TITLE=U-S SANCTIONS/BURMA
BYLINE=KHIN MAUNG HTAY (619-1417)
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  (UNVOICED) 

INTRO:  THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS (N-A-M) -- A 
POWERFUL AMERICAN BUSINESS GROUP BASED IN WASHINGTON -- RECENTLY 
PUBLISHED A STUDY IT SAYS SHOWS THE NEGATIVE IMPACT UNILATERAL 
U-S ECONOMIC SANCTIONS HAVE HAD IN RECENT YEARS.  BURMA IS ONE OF
35 COUNTRIES INCLUDED IN THE REPORT.  AS KHIN MAUNG HTAY (PRON: 
KIN MAWNG TAY) OF V-O-A'S BURMESE SERVICE REPORTS, THE 
ASSOCIATION SAYS SANCTIONS AGAINST BURMA WOULD  NOT  CHANGE THE 
BEHAVIOR OF THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN RANGOON:  

TEXT:  THE 30-PAGE STUDY LOOKS AT 61 UNILATERAL ECONOMIC 
SANCTIONS IMPOSED BY THE UNITED STATES AGAINST 35 COUNTRIES FROM 
1993 TO 1996.  THE MAIN MESSAGE IS THAT UNILATERAL SANCTIONS DO  
NOT  WORK, AND HAVE NEVER HELPED CHANGE THE BEHAVIOR OF 
GOVERNMENTS THE SANCTIONS TARGET.

JERRY JASINOWSKI, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF 
MANUFACTURERS, TOLD A WASHINGTON NEWS CONFERENCE THIS IS TRUE IN 
THE CASE OF IRAN AS WELL AS BURMA:

                              /// JASINOWSKI ACT ///

            I THINK WHAT APPLIES, IN THE CASE OF BURMA, IS 
            SOMETHING THAT APPLIES FOR ALL OF THESE SANCTIONS. I 
            HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND A SINGLE, UNILATERAL 
            SANCTION WHICH CLEARLY WORKS EFFECTIVELY TO CHANGE 
            THE BEHAVIOR (OF TARGETED GOVERNMENTS). // OPT //  
            I'M  NOT  JUST TALKING ABOUT HAVING SOME ADVERSE 
            ECONOMIC IMPACT.  CLEARLY, SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN 
            HAVE HAD ADVERSE ECONOMIC IMPACTS. BUT DO THEY CHANGE
            BEHAVIOR?  I DON'T THINK SO. THE STATE DEPARTMENT 
            DOESN'T THINK SO // END OPT //.  SO THE QUESTION IS, 
            LET'S  NOT  USE SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T WORK.  IT HAS 
            ADVERSE EFFECTS HERE AND I THINK THAT APPLIES, AS FAR
            AS I KNOW, TO BURMA AS WELL AS THE OTHER SANCTIONS IN
            THE REPORT.  

                             ///  END ACT ///

MR. JASINOWSKI WAS ASKED ABOUT THE CONTROVERSIAL NATURAL GAS 
PIPELINE PROJECT IN SOUTHERN BURMA IN WHICH THE U-S UNOCAL 
CORPORATION IS WORKING WITH TOTAL OF FRANCE, THAILAND'S STATE 
PETROLEUM COMPANY, AND THE ENERGY COMPANY RUN BY BURMA'S MILITARY
GOVERNMENT.

// OPT // HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS AND OTHER CRITICS HAVE ACCUSED 
RANGOON OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN THE PIPELINE PROJECT, AND 
SAY PROFITS GOING TO BURMA'S JUNTA WILL ONLY HELP PERPETUATE 
MILITARY RULE.  UNOCAL SAYS ITS INVESTMENT WILL HELP THE BURMESE 
PEOPLE IN THE LONG-RUN. // END OPT //

MR. JASINOWSKI REITERATED HIS ASSOCIATION'S VIEW THAT SANCTIONS 
DO  NOT  MAKE SENSE, AND ONLY SERVE TO HURT PEOPLE IN THE 
COUNTRIES CONCERNED:

                     /// JASINOWSKI ACT ///

            YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU CAN 
            STARVE PEOPLE WHO ARE POOR TO THE POINT THAT THEY CAN
            TAKE OVER HEAVILY-ARMED DICTATORSHIPS IN CERTAIN 
            COUNTRIES.  AND I THINK THAT YOU HAVE GOT THIS NOTION
            THAT SOMEHOW BY BRINGING SANCTIONS AGAINST PEOPLE WHO
            ARE POOR TO BEGIN WITH, THAT WE ARE SOMEHOW GOING TO 
            GET THEM TO OVERTHROW DICTATORSHIPS.  IT JUST DOESN'T
            MAKE SENSE.

                         //  END ACT //

ALSO AT THE NEWS CONFERENCE WAS TRACY O'ROURKE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE 
OFFICER AND CHAIRMAN OF VARIAN ASSOCIATES INC., A HI-TECH 
MANUFACTURING FIRM IN PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA.  HE SPOKE ABOUT 
LEGAL ASPECTS OF SANCTIONS AGAINST BURMA, AND POSSIBLE ACTIONS BY

STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES AGAINST 
INDONESIA: 

                       // O'ROURKE ACT //

            SO THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO LEGAL QUESTIONS THAT ARE 
            RAISED:  CONSTITUTIONAL AND [THOSE RELATING TO] W-T-O
            (WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION).  HOW THEY WILL PLAY OUT 
            IS NOT CLEAR.  BUT ONE OUGHT TO BE THINKING ABOUT 
            THAT BECAUSE IT IS AS JERRY (JASINOWSKI) SAID -- IT 
            IS HAPPENING IN MASSACHUSETTS ON BURMA, AND THEY'RE 
            TALKING ABOUT INDONESIA, TOO.  IT'S OAKLAND, 
            CALIFORNIA, AND BURMA; AND BURMA AND SAN FRANCISCO.

                              // END  ACT //

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS RELEASED ITS REPORT AS 
THE NEW YORK CITY COUNCIL -- AS WELL AS THE STATE LEGISLATURE IN 
CALIFORNIA -- WERE CONSIDERING A BAN ON STATE CONTRACTS WITH 
COMPANIES DOING BUSINESS IN BURMA.  SIMILAR STEPS ARE ALSO BEING 
CONSIDERED IN CONNECTICUT AND VERMONT.  (SIGNED)

EAP/KMH/KMW/DAR/MMK