[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
Bangkok Post(15/10/99)
<html>
<font size=5><b>Don't order us around, junta told<br>
</font><font size=5><i>Arrest of students is our duty, says Chuan<br>
<br>
</font></i><font size=3>Yuwadee Tunyasiri and Ampa Santimetanedol<br>
</font><font size=5>T</font></b><font size=3>he prime minister dismissed
Burma's precondition yesterday that the five dissidents who seized the
Burmese embassy on Oct 1-2 be arrested before the border can be
reopened.<br>
The arrests were Thailand's duty and Burma could not tell Thailand what
to do, said Chuan Leekpai.<br>
"The deputy foreign minister [M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra] has
already pointed out this is something we will take care of," said Mr
Chuan.<br>
"It's already the government's duty to take action on any unlawful
conduct. No-one can tell us what to do or what not to do," he
said.<br>
Hla Maung, the Burmese ambassador to Bangkok, said on Wednesday the five
dissident students would have to be arrested and prosecuted before there
could be any discussion on the closure of the sea and land borders.<br>
"The sooner they are arrested, the sooner the problems will be
solved," U Hla Maung said after his meeting with Foreign Minister
Surin Pitsuwan.<br>
Mr Chuan also said yesterday there is no need for Thailand to review its
relations with Burma since their conflict in the wake of the embassy
siege is "a normal problem" which can be handled by the Foreign
Ministry.<br>
"We have to be mature. We must be careful before taking any step and
be firm in our position," the prime minister said.<br>
Thailand and Burma "have to be good neighbours. The people on both
sides of the border are brothers and have been visiting one another.
Thailand has to maintain this good standard," Mr Chuan said.<br>
It is also unnecessary to send Gen Chettha Thanajaro, a former army chief
who is now a security adviser to Sanan Kachornprasart, the interior
minister, to Rangoon for negotiations since the Foreign Ministry is on
the case, he said.<br>
Mr Chuan said Thailand has done the right thing in its handling of the
embassy siege, saying the Portuguese ambassador, who called on him on
Tuesday on behalf of European envoys, praised the government for having
solved the crisis without any loss of life.<br>
On a suggestion that other Asean members have been silent over the
Thai-Burmese conflict, Mr Chuan said what has happened is a bilateral
problem which has nothing to do with relations among Asean
countries.<br>
The foreign minister yesterday denied Burma has set any precondition for
the normalisation of ties.<br>
Mr Surin said the Burmese ambassador was invited to meet him to discuss
various issues raised by both sides.<br>
And the ambassador did not give him any ultimatum during their meeting on
Tuesday"The Burmese ambassador might have said so to the press. He
probably believed doing so could create some pressure," Mr Surin
said.<br>
Meanwhile, M.R. Sukhumbhand was quoted by AP as saying that there has
been a big change in Thai attitudes towards Burma.<br>
"The embassy saga took place right at the nerve centre of Thai
society and the Thai policy," M.R. Sukhumbhand said. "The
message has been brought home that no-one is immune from the symptoms of
political conflict in Myanmar.""Many Thais, including the
media, before preferred us not to intervene in Myanmar's domestic
affairs. But now people are saying, 'Hey, we have to do something',"
the deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying.<br>
----------------------------------</font>
<BR>
</html>