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<font face="ARIAL" color="#800000"><b>BURMESE EMBASSY SIEGE<br>
</font><font size=7 color="#000000">Talks off after fax death 
threat<br>
</font></b><font size=5><i>Mysterious message upsets dissidents<br>
</i><b>N</font></b><font size=3>egotiations between Thai officials and
Burmese dissidents were called off last night after a mysterious death
threat message was faxed to the Burmese embassy last night.<br>
Somchai Homla-or, of Forum Asia, said the dissidents appeared tense and
did not want to talk further with Thai officials after receiving the
anonymous fax. He did not elaborate on the details of the message.<br>
Police sources said the message was sent from a fax machine carrying a
telephone number belonging to a Christian foundation located in the
Silom-Suriwong area.<br>
The motive of the message was not immediately known last night.<br>
Members of Forum Asia, a regional human rights group, were invited to
help negotiate with the dissidents last night because of their experience
in dealing with Burmese student movements.<br>
Mr Somchai said a dissident leader had promised him earlier in the night
to come out and talk with him at the embassy gate but no one showed up as
agreed when he arrived at the scene.<br>
&quot;They refused to trust the Thai officials after receiving the
message,&quot; he said.<br>
Mr Somchai said he later managed to talk on the phone with the
dissidents' leader, Johnny, for 20 minutes.<br>
The man appeared to be very tense during the conversation, he said,
adding a bad telephone line also made the talks difficult.<br>
Police sources said officials plan to resume negotiating with the
dissidents this morning but declined to elaborate on the details of the
talks held last night.<br>
Mr Somchai said his group was willing to help work as a go-between.<br>
Forum Asia and a number of human rights groups are expected to hold a
press conference at a Bangkok hotel today on the situation. <br>
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