NYC won't do business with firms in

[ausgeo@xxxxxxx]

Subject: NYC won't do business with firms involved in Burma

Friday May 30 

NYC won't do business with firms involved in Burma

NEW YORK, May 30 (Reuter) - New York City Mayor Ruldoph Giuliani on Friday 
signed a law barring the city from dealing with companies that do business in 
Burma. 

The law, pushed by City Council Speaker Peter Vallone, responded to complaints 
from human rights groups about the military regime that controls Burma. 

Giuliani said the bill confronted him with ``a difficult choice.'' But he told 
reporters at a news conference: ``We're not just the business capital of the 
world, we're the capital of the world.'' 

The mayor added that he did not believe ``It will in any way affect the 
economic well-being of the City of New York, and if it does, it will be for 
the right reasons.'' 

President Clinton in mid-May officially imposed economic sanctions on Burma. 
The United States and other Western countries accuse Rangoon of human rights 
abuses and repression of the democracy movement led by Aung San Suu Kyi. 

The city's measure was opposed by the New York City Partnership and Chamber of 
Commerce, and Evangeline Binder, the group's vice president of government 
affairs, said it would put banks, petroleum and high-tech companies at a 
disadvantage. 

She noted that the Council is working on similar legislation for 15 countries 
said to persecute Christians. 

``Once begun where does local business sanction legislation logically end?'' 
she asked. ``It sends the message New York City is not a business-friendly 
environment,'' she added.