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Subject: Dawn - A fitting way for Burma to re-enter the world 

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A fitting way for Burma to re-enter the world=20

By Mike Jendrzejczyk=20

WASHINGTON: Will Burma's military rulers mark the new millennium by =
returning the country to civilian government and adopting a "pro-people =
stance," as recommended by the World Bank and the United Nations? Much =
will depend on the actions of Japan, historically Burma's largest =
bilateral aid donor.=20

A breakthrough will also require new flexibility by the Burmese =
government - and by Western governments.=20

Japan's prime minister, Keizo Obuchi, has clearly signalled Tokyo's =
interest in trying to rekindle democracy and respect for human rights. =
He broke a 15-year taboo on high-level contacts with the Burmese regime =
when he met General Than Shwe in Manila in November.=20

That was followed by a "private" visit to Rangoon by former Prime =
Minister Ryutato Hashimoto. He reinforced the message that resumption of =
large-scale aid, suspended after the bloody military crackdown on =
anti-government demonstrations in 1988, could occur in exchange for =
"visible" signs of political and economic change.=20

Perhaps the generals were paying attention. The ruling State Peace and =
Development Council delivered on a promise to Mr Hashimoto. Late last =
month it began reopening universities that had been closed for three =
years. The gesture fell far short of what was needed, but kept Japan's =
diplomatic initiative alive.=20

The real test is yet to come for both the regime and the opposition =
National League for Democracy led by the Nobel Peace laureate Daw Aung =
San Suu Kyi. They must find a way to talk to each other.=20

Japan could help bridge the gap if it could convince the regime to =
cooperate fully with a joint effort by the United Nations and the World =
Bank. Tokyo can credibly use the carrot of new bilateral loans, as well =
as the possibility of renewed international lending. But Japan needs to =
be more explicit about the kinds of changes it expects.=20

There is an urgent need to develop a road map.=20

The elements of a reform programme have been laid out. In the fall, the =
UN General Assembly adopted a tough resolution urging the government to =
end persecution of the league, open a "substantive political dialogue" =
with the opposition and cease "widespread and systematic use" of forced =
labour, especially in ethnic minority areas. The UN secretary-general's =
envoy went to Burma in October, along with a World Bank official, but =
talks with the government were inconclusive.=20

As reported by the International Herald Tribune, the World Bank's latest =
report on Burma recommends crucial economic reforms, coupled with =
political change, to reverse the country's slide into poverty and =
misery. The regime has invited the bank to send a mission to Rangoon for =
discussions, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been consulted by the bank on =
the report's findings.=20

But talks between Burma's leaders and officials of the United Nations or =
the bank will go nowhere unless Rangoon is ready to embark on a reform =
path. Lifting restrictions on free expression and assembly, and =
releasing political prisoners, would be obvious first steps as =
confidence-building measures. For meaningful dialogue between the =
government and the opposition, there must be a climate of goodwill on =
both sides.=20

Concrete action by Burma could trigger a response by others in addition =
to Japan. For example, if Burma took effective action to end the use of =
forced labour, and this could be independently verified, the European =
Union could reinstate trade preferences for Burma's agricultural and =
industrial exports, suspended in 1997. The International Labour =
Organization could reverse its de facto expulsion of Burma last year.=20

The Clinton administration could consider lifting some US sanctions if =
all harassment and jailing of league members ended (although providing =
direct aid to the government would not be an option). In general, it may =
be useful for the United States to continue playing the role of "bad =
cop" to Japan's "good cop." Yet Washington, too, must be flexible. An =
incremental approach to sanctions is likely to be more effective.=20

Burma might not be ready to shed its international pariah status. But an =
end to repression there would be a fitting way to start the new century, =
with the long-suffering people of Burma as the greatest =
beneficiaries.-Dawn/The International Herald Tribune News Service.=20





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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT size=3D4><FONT =
color=3D#800000><B>A fitting way=20
for Burma to re-enter the world </FONT><BR></FONT><FONT size=3D3>
<DIV align=3Dleft>By Mike Jendrzejczyk </DIV></FONT></B>
<P><BR>WASHINGTON: Will Burma's military rulers mark the new millennium =
by=20
returning the country to civilian government and adopting a "pro-people =
stance,"=20
as recommended by the World Bank and the United Nations? Much will =
depend on the=20
actions of Japan, historically Burma's largest bilateral aid donor. =
<BR><BR>A=20
breakthrough will also require new flexibility by the Burmese government =
- and=20
by Western governments. <BR><BR>Japan's prime minister, Keizo Obuchi, =
has=20
clearly signalled Tokyo's interest in trying to rekindle democracy and =
respect=20
for human rights. He broke a 15-year taboo on high-level contacts with =
the=20
Burmese regime when he met General Than Shwe in Manila in November. =
<BR><BR>That=20
was followed by a "private" visit to Rangoon by former Prime Minister =
Ryutato=20
Hashimoto. He reinforced the message that resumption of large-scale aid, =

suspended after the bloody military crackdown on anti-government =
demonstrations=20
in 1988, could occur in exchange for "visible" signs of political and =
economic=20
change. <BR><BR>Perhaps the generals were paying attention. The ruling =
State=20
Peace and Development Council delivered on a promise to Mr Hashimoto. =
Late last=20
month it began reopening universities that had been closed for three =
years. The=20
gesture fell far short of what was needed, but kept Japan's diplomatic=20
initiative alive. <BR><BR>The real test is yet to come for both the =
regime and=20
the opposition National League for Democracy led by the Nobel Peace =
laureate Daw=20
Aung San Suu Kyi. They must find a way to talk to each other. =
<BR><BR>Japan=20
could help bridge the gap if it could convince the regime to cooperate =
fully=20
with a joint effort by the United Nations and the World Bank. Tokyo can =
credibly=20
use the carrot of new bilateral loans, as well as the possibility of =
renewed=20
international lending. But Japan needs to be more explicit about the =
kinds of=20
changes it expects. <BR><BR>There is an urgent need to develop a road =
map.=20
<BR><BR>The elements of a reform programme have been laid out. In the =
fall, the=20
UN General Assembly adopted a tough resolution urging the government to =
end=20
persecution of the league, open a "substantive political dialogue" with =
the=20
opposition and cease "widespread and systematic use" of forced labour,=20
especially in ethnic minority areas. The UN secretary-general's envoy =
went to=20
Burma in October, along with a World Bank official, but talks with the=20
government were inconclusive. <BR><BR>As reported by the International =
Herald=20
Tribune, the World Bank's latest report on Burma recommends crucial =
economic=20
reforms, coupled with political change, to reverse the country's slide =
into=20
poverty and misery. The regime has invited the bank to send a mission to =
Rangoon=20
for discussions, and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has been consulted by the bank =
on the=20
report's findings. <BR><BR>But talks between Burma's leaders and =
officials of=20
the United Nations or the bank will go nowhere unless Rangoon is ready =
to embark=20
on a reform path. Lifting restrictions on free expression and assembly, =
and=20
releasing political prisoners, would be obvious first steps as=20
confidence-building measures. For meaningful dialogue between the =
government and=20
the opposition, there must be a climate of goodwill on both sides.=20
<BR><BR>Concrete action by Burma could trigger a response by others in =
addition=20
to Japan. For example, if Burma took effective action to end the use of =
forced=20
labour, and this could be independently verified, the European Union =
could=20
reinstate trade preferences for Burma's agricultural and industrial =
exports,=20
suspended in 1997. The International Labour Organization could reverse =
its de=20
facto expulsion of Burma last year. <BR><BR>The Clinton administration =
could=20
consider lifting some US sanctions if all harassment and jailing of =
league=20
members ended (although providing direct aid to the government would not =
be an=20
option). In general, it may be useful for the United States to continue =
playing=20
the role of "bad cop" to Japan's "good cop." Yet Washington, too, must =
be=20
flexible. An incremental approach to sanctions is likely to be more =
effective.=20
<BR><BR>Burma might not be ready to shed its international pariah =
status. But an=20
end to repression there would be a fitting way to start the new century, =
with=20
the long-suffering people of Burma as the greatest =
beneficiaries.-Dawn/The=20
International Herald Tribune News Service.=20
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