AUNG SAN SUU KYI SAYS SHE ISSATISFI

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=7/9/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235198
TITLE=BURMA /  POL (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

 INTRO: BURMESE PRO-DEMOCRACY LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI SAYS SHE IS SATISFIED
THAT A POTENTIAL CONFRONTATION WITH THE RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN
AVERTED.  HOWEVER, THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES WITH ITS BARRAGE OF RHETORIC,
WARNING THE OPPOSITION AGAINST TRYING TO CREATE A CONFRONTATION.  VOA
CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN
BANGKOK.

TEXT:  THE HIGHEST-RANKING U-S DIPLOMAT IN RANGOON QUOTES AUNG 
SAN SUU KYI AS SAYING SHE IS ENCOURAGED THAT THE GOVERNMENT 
SHOWED WHAT SHE DESCRIBES AS "REASONABLENESS" IN A POTENTIAL 
CONFRONTATION.

U-S CHARGE D'AFFAIRES KENT WEIDEMANN MET WITH AUNG SAN SUU KYI AT HER
RANGOON HOME WEDNESDAY NIGHT FOLLOWING A STANDOFF OVER HER ATTEMPT TO MEET
WITH ONE OF HER PARTY MEMBERS OUTSIDE THE 
CAPITAL.  SHE TOLD MR. WEIDEMANN  SHE IS PLEASED THE ISSUE WAS 
RESOLVED SATISFACTORILY WHEN OFFICIALS ALLOWED HER TO SEE WHOM 
SHE WANTED TO SEE.

AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND THREE OTHER MEMBERS OF HER NATIONAL LEAGUE 
FOR DEMOCRACY, THE N-L-D,  WERE EN ROUTE TO MIN HLA TOWNSHIP 
TUESDAY, WHEN THEY WERE STOPPED BY POLICE SOME 80 KILOMETERS FROM CAPITAL. 
SHE REFUSED ORDERS TO TURN BACK.  AUTHORITIES FINALLY BROUGHT THE PARTY
MEMBER FROM THE TOWN TO MEET WITH HER.

ALTHOUGH THE MATTER WAS RESOLVED, THE GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO 
HEAP SCATHING RHETORIC ON THE PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT.  AN 
OFFICIAL STATEMENT, ECHOED IN GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED NEWSPAPERS THURSDAY,
ACCUSES THE N-L-D OF SPREADING RUMORS AND 
DISINFORMATION IN COLLUSION WITH WHAT THE GOVERNMENT LABELS THE
INTERNATIONAL COLONIALIST BLOC."  THE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT HAS 
EXERCISED MAXIMUM RESTRAINT IN THE FACE OF ATTEMPTS BY THE N-L-D 
TO PROVOKE A CONFRONTATION.

THE N-L-D HAS CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO CONVENE BY AUGUST 21ST THE 
PARLIAMENT THAT WAS ELECTED IN 1990.  THE N-L-D 
OVERWHELMINGLY WON THAT ELECTION, BUT THE MILITARY NULLIFIED THE 
RESULTS.

RANGOON-BASED DIPLOMATIC SOURCES SAY SOME N-L-D MEMBERS HAVE BEEN CALLED IN
FOR QUESTIONING, BUT ASSERT THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY MASS ARRESTS, AS SOME
BURMESE EXILE GROUPS HAVE CLAIMED.  
(SIGNED)

NEB/GPT/FC 

09-Jul-98 6:21 AM EDT (1021 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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