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U.S. Special Envoy to Asia on Burma
- Subject: U.S. Special Envoy to Asia on Burma
- From: freeburma@xxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 07 Jun 1996 22:39:00
Subject: U.S. Special Envoy to Asia on Burma and Press Briefing of State Dept.
Attn: Burma and Burmese activists
Re: Press Briefing by U.S. DOS on June 7, 1996
NOTE: The following is just about Burma from the Daily Press Briefing of
U.S. Department of State, which also includes about other countries. We
have seen actions of the United States government on Burma as well
as their support of Burma leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her NLD party.
As the current situation in Burma is very critical, we all need to be
wakeful of everyday situation inside Burma; also our Free Burma movements
are to continue AND to come into being on every corner of streets in
everywhere else.
In peace and solidarity,
S T A N D U P F O R F R E E B U R M A !
----------
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPB #91
FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 1996, 12:42 P. M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
Q Do you have anything on Burma?
MR. BURNS: I do have something on Burma, yes.
Q (Inaudible) threats --
MR. BURNS: That's right. Ron, we've seen the
statements by the military dictators in Rangoon that they
intend to forbid Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Prize winner,
from giving her normal Saturday address to the supporters of
the National League for Democracy.
I would just note that the United States Government
calls once again upon the Government of Burma to cease and
desist in its pressure tactics against the Democrats in
Burma.
Aung San Suu Kyi has a right, under international law
and under any reasonable standard of decency, to speak out
about conditions in her own country. She also has a right
to expect that her compatriots, who were arrested over the
last two weeks, should be released from government detention.
By the count of the American Embassy in Rangoon, 150 of
the 260 people who were originally detained have been
confirmed released. That leaves a considerable number of
people -- well over 100 -- who have not been released, who
remain under government detention. Why? Because they
wanted to express themselves in support of democracy.
So we strongly support the rights of the National
League of Democracy. We strongly support Aung San Suu Kyi.
We would like now to try to work with some of our
allied and friendly governments in Asia to try to find a way
to convince the Government of Burma to stop its pressure
tactics.
The Japanese Government has made some very positive and
forceful comments in public, including some by the Japanese
Foreign Minister. We would like to see similar comments and
similar action from some of the other governments in the
region.
As you know, we have identified that individual who
will serve as an American envoy -- a special American envoy
-- on the Burmese crisis. I believe there will be an
announcement forthcoming, if not today, I'm sure early next
week, about the identity of that person; and he will be
dispatched to the region to try to see what the United
States can do to work with these other countries in the
region to increase pressure on the Burmese Government to act
in a civilized manner.
Q This envoy will go next week, is what you're
saying or just --
MR. BURNS: I don't have the dates of his departure,
but I can tell you the individual, who's a prominent
individual, has been identified. He's agreed to take up
this assignment, and I think it's probably the best course
of action right now.
The Burmese Government appears to be impervious to the
feelings and sentiments of its own people. Perhaps it will
respond more effectively if some of its trading partners in
the area and fellow Asian countries can be organized in such
a way to try to put more pressure on the Burmese Government.
-------- end.