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US SENDS ITS STRONGEST SIGNAL TO SL



Subject: US SENDS ITS STRONGEST SIGNAL TO SLORC ,BUT IS IT A BLUFF?

Today's Quote:Government is a necessary evil to maintain law,order and peace.

DATE=4/18/97
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
NUMBER=5-36211
TITLE=BURMA/U-S/SANCTIONS
BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
 
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THE UNITED STATES THIS WEEK SENT ITS STRONGEST SIGNAL YET
TO BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT THAT RANGOON COULD FACE NEW 
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS IN THE ABSENCE OF PROGRESS TOWARD HUMAN RIGHTS
AND DEMOCRATIC REFORM.  V-O-A'S DAN ROBINSON REPORTS THAT AS 
WASHINGTON WAS DELIVERING THAT MESSAGE, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS 
CONCERNED ABOUT BURMA WERE SIGNALING THEIR OWN INTENTIONS:

TEXT:  THE STRONGEST REMARKS ON BURMA SO FAR THIS YEAR BY ANY 
CLINTON ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL CAME FROM SECRETARY OF STATE 
MADELEINE ALBRIGHT.

IN A FOREIGN POLICY SPEECH, SHE SAID BURMA'S RULING MILITARY 
GOVERNMENT IS ON NOTICE THAT UNLESS "THE CLOUDS OF REPRESSION ARE
LIFTED," BURMA WILL FACE INVESTMENT SANCTIONS UNDER U-S LAW.

SECRETARY ALBRIGHT'S REMARKS CAME AMID CONTINUING SPECULATION 
ABOUT HOW SOON -- IF AT ALL -- PRESIDENT CLINTON WILL IMPLEMENT A
1996 LAW REQUIRING AN END TO NEW INVESTMENT IN BURMA BY U-S 
COMPANIES.

EARLIER THIS MONTH, A U-S NEWSPAPER (WASHINGTON TIMES) REPORTED 
THAT MR. CLINTON WAS LEANING AWAY FROM ANY EARLY ACTION.  THE 
NEWSPAPER QUOTED UN-NAMED U-S OFFICIALS AS SAYING U-S POLICY 
WOULD BE TO GRADUALLY INCREASE PRESSURE ON RANGOON.

SOON AFTER THAT REPORT, THE STATE DEPARTMENT SAID SANCTIONS 
REMAIN AN OPTION -- ALTHOUGH  NO  DEADLINES ARE BEING SET.  

BUT THE DAY AFTER SECRETARY ALBRIGHT'S REMARKS, THE SANCTIONS 
QUESTION CAME UP AGAIN.  THIS WAS STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN 
NICHOLAS BURNS' REPLY TO A REPORTER WHO SUGGESTED THAT, WHEN IT 
COMES TO HUMAN RIGHTS, THE UNITED STATES WAS APPLYING DIFFERENT 
STANDARDS TO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES:

                        /// BURNS ACT ///

         WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE ISN'T, AS FAR AS I'M AWARE, ANY 
         SANCTIONS, LEGISLATION THAT SENIOR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS 
         HAVE PROPOSED FOR CHINA.  THERE IS FOR BURMA.  AND WE 
         HAVE, OF COURSE, UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES THAT WE ADHERE TO 
         ACROSS THE BOARD.  BUT YOU HAVE TO LOOK AT THE TACTICS 
         OF TRYING TO CHANGE A GOVERNMENT'S BEHAVIOR FROM COUNTRY
         TO COUNTRY.  NOW, A BUNCH OF MILITARY DICTATORS, LIKE 
         THOSE IN RANGOON, WE THINK, MIGHT SIT UP AND TAKE NOTICE
         IF THE LARGEST AND MOST IMPORTANT COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, 
         THE MOST POWERFUL COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, PRESENTS THAT 
         THREAT TO THEM.  AND WE HOPE THIS WILL MODERATE SOME OF 
         THEIR BEHAVIOR, WHICH HAS BEEN QUITE DISAPPOINTING IN 

         RECENT MONTHS.

                         /// END ACT //

MR. BURNS SAID ALTHOUGH THE PRESIDENT HAS NOT YET MADE A 
DECISION, BURMA'S MILITARY SHOULD RECOGNIZE THAT SANCTIONS ARE 
NOW "A STRONG POSSIBILITY."  

MEANWHILE, ON CAPITOL HILL, THE QUESTION OF ACTION OR INACTION IN
IMPLEMENTING THE 1996 SANCTIONS LAW AND OVERALL POLICY TOWARD 
BURMA RECEIVED MORE ATTENTION.

HERE IS WHAT REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN CHRISTOPHER SMITH OF NEW 
JERSEY HAD TO SAY DURING A HEARING ON THE PLIGHT OF TENS OF 
THOUSANDS OF REFUGEES WHO FLED TO THAILAND TO ESCAPE A BURMESE 
MILITARY OFFENSIVE:

                        /// SMITH ACT ///


         HAS OUR FAILURE TO IMPOSE THE COHEN-FEINSTEIN SANCTIONS,
         WHICH WERE PASSED INTO LAW LAST SEPTEMBER AND SIGNED BY 
         THE PRESIDENT, AND WHICH (AMONG OTHER THINGS) 
         SPECIFICALLY REQUIRES THE PRESIDENT TO PROHIBIT U-S 
         INVESTMENT IN BURMA IN THE EVENT OF LARGE-SCALE 
         POLITICAL REPRESSION BY THE SLORC (BURMA'S STATE LAW AND
         ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL), MADE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR 
         US TO ARGUE THAT THAILAND AND OTHER ASEAN (ASSOCIATION 
         OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN) NATIONS SHOULD ISOLATE THE SLORC AND
         PROVIDE CONTINUED ASSISTANCE TO ITS VICTIMS?

                         /// END ACT ///

//OPT// AT THE SAME HEARING, SOE PYNE (PRON: SO-PINE) OF THE 
EXILE NATIONAL COALITION GOVERNMENT OF BURMA, SAID REFUGEE 
PROBLEMS ALONG THE BORDER ARE THE DIRECT RESULT OF BURMA'S 
CONTINUING POLITICAL PROBLEMS.  HE URGED MORE U-S PRESSURE ON 
RANGOON:

                      /// SOE PYNE ACT ///

         THE UNITED STATES AND THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY MUST 
         STEP UP THEIR EFFORTS AIMED AT PRESSURING THE SLORC TO 
         ENTER INTO DIALOGUE WITH THE DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT AND

         THE ETHNIC NATIONALITIES.  THAT PROCESS WILL RESOLVE THE
         REFUGEE PROBLEM AND ENSURE PEACE AND HARMONY IN BURMA 
         AND THE REGION.

                    /// END ACT - END OPT ///

MEANWHILE, A SENATOR WHO SUPPORTED AN EVEN TOUGHER SANCTIONS BILL
IN 1996 SAID AGAIN HE FEELS CONDITIONS IN BURMA ARE SUCH THAT MR.
CLINTON MUST ACT.

REPUBLICAN MITCH MCCONNELL, ALONG WITH DEMOCRATIC SENATOR PATRICK
LEAHY AND OTHERS WATCHING BURMA, HAVE VOWED TO DRAFT NEW 
LEGISLATION CALLING FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION -- IN THE ABSENCE OF AN 
ADMINISTRATION MOVE TO IMPLEMENT LAST YEAR'S LAW.  (SIGNED)

DAR/KMW/LWM