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BURMA RALLY OVER US SANCTIONS (r)
- Subject: BURMA RALLY OVER US SANCTIONS (r)
- From: waterly@xxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 09 May 1997 17:42:00
The Associated Press
December 14, 1988, Wednesday, AM cycle
HEADLINE: Burmese Leader Says No Elections Yet; Thailand Breaks Burmese Coventry
BYLINE: By MOLLY YONG, Associated Press Writer
DATELINE: RANGOON, Burma
Gen. Saw Maung on Wednesday met the first senior visiting foreign dignitary
since he seized power, and he told journalists finally allowed into Burma that
it is not ready for general elections.
"We will definitely hold this multiparty democratic election, there's no
question about it," the general said in repeating earlier promises.
He spoke with reporters accompanying Thailand's army chief Gen. Chavalit
Yongchaiyudh on the first visit by a senior foreign official since Saw Maung
seized power in a Sept. 18 coup. His troops killed hundreds of demonstrators
supporting democracy.
The visit broke an informal international understanding to refrain from moves
that might imply recognition of the Saw Maung government. Japan, the United
States and other countries have frozen aid to Burma.
Saw Maung said that before elections could be held, authorities must ensure
law and order, restore transportation and communications, and provide food,
clothing and shelter for the people.
"There's been progress in these three main objectives but we've got to wait
for a while," he said when asked the polling date.
"The political parties are in the process of registration at the moment. They
are not ready yet," he added.
On the day he toppled civilian President Maung Maung, Saw Maung said he
would ensure elections are held. He has allowed opposition political parties to
form but suppressed all other public expressions of dissent.
After returning to Bangkok today, Chavalit told a news conference that his
talks with Saw Maung focused on the Burmese government's offensive against
rebel groups, students who have joined the rebels, and narcotics.
After the coup, thousands of students joined ethnic-based guerrilla groups on
the border. The government has said the students can come back without facing
punishment.
At a luncheon for Chavalit, Saw Maung said more than 1,500 students have
returned home and authorities have arranged with Bangkok the return of those
staying in temporary Thai camps. Saw Maung told reporters about 2,000 students
remain at the border area, but Thai officials put the figure at 7,000.
On foreign relations, Saw Maung said "there are a few countries which look
forward to consolidate friendship with us and on the other hand some countries
show less interest in cooperating with us ... our policy is to establish
friendship with every country."
The Nation newspaper of Thailand criticized Chavalit's visit. In an
editorial, it said he "can privately try to persuade Gen. Saw Maung to hold
the promised free and fair general elections as soon as possible. Only his
success in this effort - which is so far most unlikely - could justify making a
trip to Rangoon now."
The newspaper said that while Thai authorities try to portray the trip as
technical and military-related, the visit could send the wrong signal both to
Saw Maung and the rest of the world that Thailand endorsed the massacres by
Burmese troops.