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Reuters : FOCUS-Thailand says Myanm



FOCUS-Thailand says Myanmar may charge activists 
12:21 a.m. Aug 11, 1998 Eastern 

BANGKOK, Aug 11 (Reuters) - Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said on
Tuesday he thought the 18 foreign activists arrested for distributing
leaflets in Myanmar over the weekend could be charged. 

But Surin said his government still had no word on the fate of the
activists, who were picked up by police on Sunday after a mass hand-out of
pro-democracy leaflets at tourist sites in Yangon in defiance of the
military government. 

``We should give them (Myanmar) some time to perform the legal procedure. I
understand that they might be charged in accordance with the existing
laws,'' Surin told Reuters. 

Surin said Thailand had applied for consular access to its three nationals
but the request had not yet been granted by the Myanmar authorities. 

He said the activists seemed prepared for the consequences of their
actions. 

``What we can do is ask for lenience and (legal) practice in accordance
with international standards,'' he said. 

Myanmar officials have said the 18 activists -- six Americans, three Thais,
three Indonesians, three Malaysians, two Philippine citizens and an
Australian -- are being held pending investigations. 

The authorities have not yet said whether they will charge or release and
deport the foreigners. 

On the growing tension between Myanmar's military rulers and the opposition
led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, Surin said he had discussed the
issue with Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura on the telephone on
Friday. 

``Thailand and Japan have reached the common view to encourage a compromise
by holding a dialogue between the government and Aung San Suu Kyi in order
to avoid the bitterness of the conflict from rising further,'' Surin said. 

Surin later told reporters: 

``Our clear policy is we will not interfere with the internal affairs of
other countries but at the same time, as a democratic country, we admire
whoever fights for democracy.''