Suu Kyi promoting US interests for

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Subject: Suu Kyi promoting US interests for green card (The Asian Age, 26/8/97.)

'Suu Kyi promoting US interests for green card'

26/8/97, The Asian Age (New Delhi)

Bangkok, Aug. 25: A Burmese minister has accused Opposition leader Aung
San Suu Kyi of pushing US interests in order to obtain a green card
giving her right of residence in the United States, the Nation daily
reported on Monday.

In an interview in Rangoon, Brigadier General David Abel, minister for
national planning and economic development, alleged among other things
that Ms Aung San Suu Kyi was anti-government, unpatriotic and
dictatorial.

"She is using her position, her present situation to obtain a green card
from America," Brig. Gen. Abel told The Nation.

Phone calls to Ms Aung San Suu Kyi's home in Rangoon went unanswered
Monday. US official had no immediate comment on the allegations.

"Her allegiance is to another. She does not care anything about Myanmar
(Burma). You know she asked for sanctions.

"When US President Bill Clinton signed the sanctions, she said, 'This is
the best thing that President ever did.' Things like that," Brig. Gen.
Abel said.

The minister referring to economic sanctions that have been imposed on
Burma to protest its record on political and human rights.

Brig. Gen. Abel said it was "rubbish" to suggest the ruling junta's
attitude to Ms Aung San Suu Kyi might be colored by male chauvinism.

"How can that be? I tell you she is married to a foreigner. According to
our law, she cannot be elected," he said. "You cannot be anything since
you are married to a foreigner."

"You can be the most intelligent person in the world. But if you are not
patriotic then you are useless."

Brig. Gen. Abel contended that Ms Aung San Suu Kyi overruled other
members of the National League for Democracy executives committee to
dictate party positions.

"Out of 10 people, nine people can make a decision and she rejects it,"
Brig. Gen. Abel said. (AFP)