Text:U.S. Deeply regrets Burma's Fa

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

               Title:  TEXT: U.S. DEEPLY REGRETS BURMA'S FAILURE TO CONVENE
               PARLIAMENT (Calls for dialogue between Burmese government,
people) (390)

               Date:  19980821

               Text:
               Washington -- The U.S. Department of State issued a statement
August 21 regretting the
               Burmese government's rejection of the National League for
Democracy's (NLD) call to
               convene the parliament elected in 1990.

               "The solution to Burma's political impasse can only be
achieved through a meaningful
               dialogue between the Burmese government and the
representatives of the Burmese
               people," the statement said.

               Following is the official State Department text:

               (begin text)

               US DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman

               August 21, 1998

               STATEMENT BY JAMES B. FOLEY, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN

               BURMA -- AUGUST 21 DEADLINE FOR CONVENING THE PARLIAMENT

               In June of this year, Burma's primary opposition party, the
National League for
               Democracy (NLD), called on the ruling State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) to
               convene the parliament elected in 1990 by today, August 21.
We deeply regret the
               Burmese government's rejection of this historic opportunity
to respond to the NLD's call.

               The solution to Burma's political impasse can only be
achieved through a meaningful
               dialogue between the Burmese government and the
representatives of the Burmese
               people. We note the informal meeting held on Tuesday, August
18, between General Khin
               Nyunt, SPDC Secretary One, and Aung Shwe, Chairman of the
NLD. We hope that the
               government's initiative in inviting Aung Shwe to this meeting
will be a first step leading to a
               meaningful dialogue. We support the NLD's long expressed
commitment to reconciliation
               through genuine dialogue.

               If a genuine dialogue is to succeed it must be without
conditions and include all interested
               groups -- the government, the NLD, including its leader Aung
San Suu Kyi, and
               representatives of Burma's ethnic minorities. We hope it will
be accompanied very soon
               by genuine confidence-building measures on the government's
part, including the release of
               political prisoners and detained Members of Parliament.

               Such a dialogue would be a means to larger ends: the
restoration of democracy in Burma,
               an improved standard of living for all Burmese people, and
the resumption of Burma's
               rightful place in the community of nations. To that end, the
United States remains
               committed to working in partnership with all parties of good
will in Burma and with others
               in the international community.

               (end text)