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AFP-Border with Thailand to stay sh



Reply-To: "TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: AFP-Border with Thailand to stay shut until hostage-takers held: Myanmar

Border with Thailand to stay shut until hostage-takers held: Myanmar
BANGKOK, Oct 13 (AFP) - Myanmar said Wednesday it would not reopen its
common border with Thailand until Thai authorities apprehend and arrest five
gunmen who held almost 40 people hostage at Yangon's embassy here.
"The sooner the five students are arrested, the quicker problems will be
resolved," said Hla Maung, Myanmar's ambassador to Bangkok, after a one hour
meeting with Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan.

Myanmar closed checkpoints along the border on October 2, when the Thai
government supplied the five radical student gunmen with an escape
helicopter in exchange for the safe release of the hostages.

The Yangon junta also cancelled concessions for Thai fishermen in Myanmar
waters, resulting in losses of 150 million baht (3.75 million dollars) a day
for the industry based in southern Ranong province.

So far Thai police have issued arrest warrants for two of the five gunmen.

Hla Maung said the hostage-takers would not be extradited to Myanmar and
should be prosecuted under Thai law.

"Myanmar has nothing to do with this, there is no need to send them to
Myanmar," he said.

"The Thai government must take responsibility because the incident happened
in Thailand," Hla Maung said.

The ambassador said the border closure was not permanent and the two
countries' foreign ministers were continuing attempts to resolve differences
in the wake of the hostage drama.