Bangkok Post (5/8/1999)

[mandalay@xxxxxxxxxx]

<bold>Junta hails Australian rights official's visit 

</bold>

Rangoon -    Burma's military government yesterday hailed a visit by
Australia's  human rights   cornmissioner, saying it 

would bring "better understanding  and co-operation" on rights. 

Chris Sidoti earlier wound up a three-day visit to look at the
feasibility of a human rights commission for Burma after meeting several
senior government officials and the vice chairman of the opposition
National League for Democracy, Tin Oo.     

But he did not meet NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who, according to
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, has doubbts that any
commission

would be independent -Reuters