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AFP-Myanmar junta calls for "cooper



Subject: AFP-Myanmar junta calls for "cooperation" from opposition

Myanmar junta calls for "cooperation" from opposition
BANGKOK, July 14 (AFP) - The Myanmar junta Wednesday called for "pragmatic
and meaningful cooperation" from Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party as a
prelude to political dialogue.
It said that as a first step toward breaking the political impasse, the
opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) must dissolve its "interim
parliament" set up last year.

The NLD under Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi won a landslide victory in
1990 elections but the junta has refused to recognise the result and has
imprisoned hundreds of opposition supporters.

Last August an alliance of opposition parties headed by the NLD set up a
committee to represent the 1990 parliament, a move which infuriated the
ruling generals and sparked a fresh crackdown against dissenters.

"The government wishes the NLD to act in a more pragmatic and sensible way
so that a positive and a meaningful interaction can be resumed without any
interruption again," the junta said in its daily "information sheet."

"The government believes that the process could be managed with the NLD's
retraction of the committee which it says will act as an interim
parliament."

Without mentioning Aung San Suu Kyi, it said the committee would undermine
stability and create "confusion, social chaos and genuine political crisis."

"The government feels that it is unfortunate because the NLD is coming up
with only symbolic gestures designed merely to attract attention," it said.

A special European Union mission met junta officials as well as Aung San Suu
Kyi last week, partly in a bid to bring them together. Diplomats here and in
Yangon have been silent on the results.

The junta's statement is unusual because of the absence of invective against
the NLD.

The regime refuses to talk to Aung San Suu Kyi, calling her a "traitor" and
lackey of the West. Previous lower-level discussions between the two sides
have broken down in acrimony.

Aung San Suu Kyi told AFP in May that the junta's conditions on dialogue
were "red herrings" and the generals did not want genuine dialogue.

She said the parliamentary committee had been recognised by the European
Parliament and was having an impact.

The junta said it had been engaged in low-level talks with NLD members
detained in government "guesthouses" following the formation of the
committee.

"Almost all of the NLD members have returned home after a successful
exchange of views to build a stable, multiparty democracy and to preserve
the prevailing peace that Myanmar enjoys," it said.

It said 55 NLD members remained under "guesthouse" detention for
discussions.

Thousands of other NLD loyalists have been forced to resign from the party
under a renewed crackdown since August, although Aung San Suu Kyi claims her
popular support is as strong as ever.

The junta is widely accused of severe human rights abuses including rape and
torture. Hundreds of political prisoners are believed to be held in
Myanmar's prisons, although the junta denies the charges.