SLORC OBVIOUSLY TURNED OFF BY ADB S

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: SLORC OBVIOUSLY TURNED OFF BY ADB SUSPENDING AID

Burma criticises ADB for suspending aid 
06:33 a.m. May 12, 1997 Eastern 

FUKUOKA, Japan, May 12 (Reuter) - Burma criticised the Asian Development
Bank (ADB) on
Monday for suspending its aid and charged that the bank was being
manipulated by negative press
reports. 

``Since 1988, multilateral aid to Myanmar (Burma) has been suspended due to
malicious reporting
by some media in some influenced countries,'' Brigadier General Win Tin, the
nation's finance
minister, told the ADB's annual meeting, which began Sunday in this southern
Japanese city. 

The ADB suspended loans to Burma in 1986 and technical aid in 1987. It says
it is monitoring the
economic conditions there and that it will plan an operational strategy when
appropriate. 

``Unfortunately, following misled allegations and unfair judgment on
Myanmar's situation for political
reasons by some media, the bank has neglected all the true facts...and is
still suspending its financial
assistance as well as technical assistance,'' Win Tin said. 

He said the ADB was bound by its charter to provide assistance to all member
countries ``without
any influence in its decisions by the political motives of the member
concerned.'' 

He said despite the lack of aid, the Burmese economy had steadily grown, and
foreign direct
investment reached $6.55 billion in 1996-97 compared with $3.23 billion the
previous year. 

``Myanmar could have had more expeditious achievements in the economy if the
aid had never been
halted,'' Win Tin said. ``Myanmar really desires to maintain mutual
cooperation with multilateral
organisations, as it ever did before.'' 

Thailand also complained about ADB loans. 

The bank should extend concessional financial assistance for projects in the
Greater Mekong
Subregion, Thai Finance Minister Amnuay Virawan said in a speech to the
ADB's board of
governors. 

``Full support should also be extended to all countries participating in the
regional and subregional
programmes without political bias,'' Virawan said without elaborating. 

The ADB has launched a programme under which it is steering economic
development in the
Greater Mekong sub-region, which includes countries that skirt the Mekong or
through which it
flows -- Cambodia, China, Laos, Burma, Vietnam and Thailand. 

The annual meeting of the 56-member ADB ends on Tuesday. REUTER