Straits Time : Siazon calls for ope

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

The Straits Times
JUL 26 1998

Siazon calls for open dialogue in Myanmar 

MANILA -- The Philippines yesterday urged Myanmar's ruling junta and the
opposition to engage in a dialogue without any preconditions to resolve
their differences. 

"It takes all partners in a process of conflict to move towards
convergence, of course unless you are a mountain that you don't move,"
Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon said. 

He said he knew reconciliation talks were being held "at the lower level"
between the State Peace and Development Council, and the opposition
National League for Democracy led by Aung San Suu Kyi. 

But negotiations must be held without conditions to succeed, he said. 

"If you are prepared to negotiate, you should say I'm prepared to meet you,
the devil you may be... But no conditions, let's talk," he said at the end
of the Asean ministerial meeting. 

Asked if Asean would now comment more openly on Yangon, he said: "We have
been in enhanced interaction mode in Myanmar for sometime now. 

"We have very extensive talks with the authorities in Myanmar concerning
many issues, including the process of their national reconciliation and
these exchanges have been going on." 

Ms Suu Kyi has been in opposition to the junta since army generals refused
to hand over power to her party which swept parliamentary elections in
1990. 

Asean admitted Yangon as a member last year, defying Western pressure
against the move because of alleged human-rights violations by the junta. 

The group said it hoped that integrating Myanmar would induce the junta to
introduce reforms. 

Human-rights advocates allege that human rights abuses have got worse. 

Reports from Yangon said the government yesterday lashed out at Ms Suu Kyi
for trying to spark political unrest by leaving the capital to visit
supporters. 

In an official statement, the junta also accused her party of "creating
waves to rock the boat" in collaboration with foreign embassies and news
organisations. AFP