Burma's Rulers WAve Olive Branch on

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Myanmar rulers wave olive branch on Army Day

YANGON, March 27 (Reuters) - Myanmar's (Burma's) military rulers on Friday
waved an olive branch to opposition parties and urged them to strive for unity
and peace. 

``Whichever parties or organisations above ground are our citizens, our
nationals, though our beliefs and commitments may not be the same, there is no
reason to bear any grudge,'' said Senior General Than Shwe, chairman of the
ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), in a speech marking Armed
Forces Day. 

``Conditions may not permit today but we must at one time strive for the unity
of our nation's political group,'' the general, who is also prime minister and
commander-in-chief of defence services, said at a government parade to mark
the occasion. 

But premier Than Shwe was also quick to point out that Myanmar's strength lay
in a strong military leadership. 

``Only when the Tatmadaw (military) is strong will the nation be strong,'' he
said. 

Some 5,670 members of the defence, police and auxiliary forces marched past in
the parade in the capital. 

As the senior general spoke, the opposition National League for Democracy
(NLD) led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, held a rival Resistance Day
gathering at her lakeside residence in Yangon. 

It was attended by about 500 people, including party members, war veterans and
diplomats. 

Suu Kyi did not speak at the ceremony, which was allowed without any
harassment by the authorities, but the NLD issued a declaration. 

The statement said that Myanmar's independence leader, General Aung San, and
other martyrs who had fought for independence in 1948 for the country from
British colonialism had succeeded by holding talks with their adversaries. 

``Therefore, it is clear evidence that we can attain our goal through the path
of talks. All the problems facing the country today can also be solved by
holding talks,'' the declaration said. 

The SPDC and opposition have been engaged in a political standoff since the
NLD won a 1990 general election which the military refused to recognise. 

The opposition and western sympathisers have accused the military of curbing
opposition political activities and abusing human rights. 

Several attempts by both sides to hold talks have failed because the military
refuses to allow Suu Kyi to take part in such negotiations. 

But local analysts said they were surprised by the military's softer stance
against the opposition. 

``Unlike previous speeches delivered on these sort of occasions, he did not
say...we must crush, we must annihilate all internal and external destructive
elements as the common enemy,'' a local analyst who declined to be identified
said. 

In Bangkok, a group of about 20 Myanmar student exiles and Thai activists
protested in front of the Myanmar embassy against the SPDC. 

A statement issued by the student group demanded that Japan withhold all
investments and financial assistance to Myanmar until human rights and
political peace were restored in the country. ^REUTERS@