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U.S. Accuses Military Regime Repres



WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States Friday denounced as another
repressive measure a move by Burma's military rulers to prevent opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi from attending a meeting of her political party. 

Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize winner, was prevented from leaving her Rangoon
home on Thursday by barbed wire barricades, forcing her to miss a gathering
of her National League for Democracy (NLD) in a nearby township. 

The ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) said in a
statement that it stopped her from leaving her residence because the NLD
intended to damage peace and stability by driving around in procession in
downtown Rangoon. 

``This is the latest in a long line of repressive measures taken by the SLORC
in an attempt to marginalize the NLD, which is a legal political party that
won overwhelming support in the 1990 elections,'' a State Department
spokesman said. 

``We urge the SLORC military authorities in Burma to allow NLD party
activities to be held peacefully and without intervention,'' spokesman Lee
McClenny said. 

He also repeated U.S. calls for a ``meaningful dialogue'' between the Burmese
authorities and opposition leaders. ``This is the only path to a solution for
Burma's political crisis,'' McClenny said. 

The NLD won a landslide victory in 1990 elections but the SLORC ignored the
result and refused to hand over power. 
 ^REUTERS@ 

15:34 11-14-97