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EU'S OPTIMISM ON DIALOGUE



26-Jun-99; 12:00am

With all due respect to Finnish Foreign Minister, to my observation, the
possibility of a proper dialogue in Burma appears still not in sight.
Unless a
substantial pressure is applied upon the military regime, the
commencement of
dialogue will not be forthcoming.

I think it is worth commenting on current Burma situation with the quote
of one
famous physicist. Once, the late professor Richard Feynman was asked,
just
after him receiving a Nobel Prize for Physics,  by the reporters that
whether
he would kindly be able to explain about his Nobel Prize winning work
in  THREE
minutes ! Professor Feynman replied, "If it (his work) can be explained
to
everybody in 3 minutes, it wouldn't be worth a Physics Nobel Prize".

Much is the same in the dialogue in Burma. Our experience is that, a
promise
(or lack of it) given by SPDC/SLORC leaders as regards dialogue will not
simply
translate into action. Any promise of dialogue by SPDC/SLORC, at this
time, is
to be considered as time-delaying tactics. By the same token, a lack of
promise/or down right refusal to engage in dialogue, is to be considered
as of
SPDC/SLORC telling the truth. It is to be said that, without any
substantial
pressure being applied, appearance of anything moving towards dialogue
would
only be superficial. What I meant to say is, if only the diplomatic
pressure is
brought to bear upon SPDC/SLORC by international community, there won't
be a
real progress on dialogue.

Then again, the opposition NLD, especially Aung San Suu Kyi, is
demonstrating a
far better responsibility as regards to this political crisis. Aung San
Suu Kyi
is especially ruling-out the NLD or supporters resorting to violence (I
wonder
how that-nonviolent strategy- would have to be reconciled with any form
of
substantial pressure, should there be any, by the international
community). In
much the same way are the human rights activists in Singapore, who even
played
only with "PUTTERS" to hit the ball --in gesture of non-violent. We do
need the
"Diplomatic Putters"  for the Burma crisis. But if I were to play  that
game
to SPDC/SLORC,  I would rather use  a "wood" to hit it, if not the
"iron"!

With kind regards, U Ne Oo.
*****************************

TIN KYI wrote:

> EU urges Myanmar to take further steps to democracy
> SINGAPORE, July 25 (AFP) - The European Union (EU) has urged Myanmar to
> demonstrate further its willingness to improve its human rights situation, a
> top EU diplomat said here Sunday.
> Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen of Finland, which currently heads the
> rotating EU presidency, also expressed optimism over a secret visit made by
> a special EU mission earlier this month to Yangon.
>
> Halonen said she had held "good" talks with Myanmar Foreign Minister Win
> Aung Sunday on the eve of the ASEAN Regional Forum security meetings hosted
> by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
>
> "The discussion was good in the sense that in the conversation the
> information was delivered very freely," she told AFP.
>
> "But of course I cannot say, it's too early to say anything about
> implementation on their side," she added, referring to the implementation of
> steps by the military-run government in Myanmar to improve democracy and
> human rights in that country.
>
> Halonen said she had informed Win Aung of the EU's forthcoming announcement
> on its policy toward Myanmar, which will be made in September in Brussels.
>
> The EU had last made its position known on Myanmar in April, when it
> reiterated its call for Myanmar "to take concrete steps" towards democracy,
> respect for human rights and national reconciliation, Halonen said.
>
> In July, a four-man team representing Finland, Portugal, the EU secretariat
> and the European Commission traveled to Yangon to hold sensitive talks with
> powerful junta First Secretary Khin Nyunt, and Myanmar opposition leader
> Aung San Suu Kyi.
>
> "We were happy for the fact that the EU could pay this visit because that
> meant already a step forward and the opening process of (Myanmar)," she
> said.
>
> "Of course we have requested that further steps should be taken so
> representatives of the EU community could see with their own eyes what the
> situation is," Halonen added.
>
> The EU was strongly opposed to Myanmar joining ASEAN in July 1997, citing
> gross human rights abuses and its refusal to recognise the result of a 1990
> election.
>
> Political dialogue between the junta and the EU has been on ice since the EU
> imposed sanctions in 1996.
>
> Washington backed the EU mission to Yangon in July.
>
> On Sunday, US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright charged that Myanmar's
> iron-hand rule was a "threat" to the region and urged Yangon to open
> dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi.
>
> The EU is to hold a dialogue with ASEAN foreign ministers on Tuesday.
>
> Halonen said they would raise regional security and economic issues with the
> ministers.