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16-20,JAN-98:EXCERPTS OF U.N.PRESS



/* Posted 22 Jan 11:00am 1998 by drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* --------------"UN Press briefing 16/20 Jan "----------------- */

[ADDED NOTE: I have just check out from the home page of 
the United Nations daily press briefings. I didn't see any word
regarding "free elections in Burma" being mentioned anywhere by
the spokeperson of the Secretary-General. In any case, most 
BurmaNet subscribers are much more informed about the
Burma situation than of any average reporters who write for 
various news agencies.

On the other hand, it should be stressed  that the United
Nations is a special kind of organization which strictly
follow its mandated resolutions in their operations. 
This stance is quite different from  any national governments 
and normal politicians who are more flexible on their general 
agenda in relation to the press.

With best regards, U Ne Oo.]
------------------------------------------------------------
EXCERPTS FROM U.N.PRESS BRIEFINGS 16-20 JANUARY 1998
(SOURCE, The UN Homepage --> http://www.un.org/)
****************************************************
[16 Jan 1998]: DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF 
OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL 

Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, announced to           
correspondents at the beginning of today's press briefing that he had asked 
Charles Duelfer, Deputy Executive Chairman of the United Nations Special
Commission (UNSCOM) monitoring the disposal of Iraq's weapons of mass

          <TEXTS-DELETED>

Turning to other business, Mr. Eckhard said that pursuant to the          
agreement made between the Secretary-General and Senior General Than Shwe,
Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Myanmar as well as Chairman of the 
State Peace and Development Council, at the meeting held in Kuala Lumpur
during the Secretary-General's December visit, Assistant Secretary-General for
Political Affairs Alvaro de Soto would visit Myanmar from 20 to 23 January as
the Secretary-General's envoy.  That visit would be part of the ongoing
dialogue between the Secretary-General and the Government of Myanmar.

Correspondents would recall that the Secretary-General had received a mandate
from the General Assembly and the Commission on Human Rights to pursue that
dialogue.  Mr. de Soto's last visit to Myanmar had been in May 1997. <P>

             <TEXTS-DELETED>

**********
[20 Jan 1998]: DAILY PRESS BRIEFING OF 
OFFICE OF SPOKESMAN FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL 

Fred Eckhard, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, began today's noon
briefing by announcing that Ambassador Richard Butler, Executive Chairman of

            <TEXTS-DELETED>

Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Alvaro de Soto arrived
in Myanmar today for a three-day visit, Mr. Eckhard said.  His schedule of
appointments would be finalized after he met with Foreign Ministry officials. 
<P>              
             <TEXTS-DELETED>

 What would Mr. de Soto be discussing with the officials in Myanmar?          
a correspondent asked.  Mr. Eckhard said the mission to Myanmar was decided on
at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur between the Secretary-General and the Chairman of
the Committee which ran the country.  The Chairman had indicated to the
Secretary-General that the Government was interested in democratizing and the
Secretary-General said that he would like to send his Special Envoy again, on
the understanding that he would consult both with the Government and with
opposition figures.                 

Asked when and where the technical talks with Iraq would take place,           
Mr. Eckhard said the first would be on 1 February, with the second to follow
shortly thereafter.  They would take place in Baghdad. 

             <TEXTS-DELETED>

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