Albright presses Asian counterparts

[TheTruth@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Albright presses Asian counterparts to support Aung San Suu Kyi

       Wed 26 Aug 98 - 21:42 GMT 

       WASHINGTON, Aug 26 (AFP) - US Secretary of State Madeleine
Albright expressed concerns about Myanmar opposition leader
       Aung San Suu Kyi in recent telephone conversations with her Asian
counterparts, a spokesman said Wednesday.

       Albright telephoned the foreign ministers of Indonesia, Japan,
the Philippines and Thailand over the weekend to discuss the situation
       in Myanmar where Aung San Suu Kyi has been barred from traveling
outside the capital.

       The opposition leader returned to Yangon after a 14-day standoff
outside the capital with security forces who prevented her from
       meeting with supporters.

       "She is currently regaining her strength from this ordeal," State
Department deputy spokesman James Foley said.

       "It was very taxing on her, and we had some reason to worry about
the deteriorating state of her health," he said.

       "Secretary Albright engaged in conversations over the telephone
with a number of her counterparts in Asia over the weekend
       because of this concern," he added.

       US embassy officials in Yangon plan to pay a visit to the Nobel
prize winner "as soon as her health permits," Foley said.

       Armed riot police were deployed at strategic sites around the
Myanmar capital Wednesday as the ruling junta accused "subversive"
       opposition forces of undermining national stability.

       Wednesday marked the 10th anniversary of Aung San Suu Kyi's
maiden political speech, made at the Shwedagon Pagoda after her
       selection as a National League for Democracy candidate.

       The NLD won 1990 elections under Nobel prizewinner Aung San Suu
Kyi but the junta has not allowed parliament to convene, saying
       the election was merely to choose drafters of a new constitution.

       The opposition leader has said she will convene the parliament
herself, despite official warnings that such a move would be illegal.

       Albright earlier this moment described the call for convening
parliament as a "moment of truth in our effort to promote dialogue in
       Burma", also known as Myanmar.