BBC-Burmese military seeks to justi

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Thursday, August 27, 1998 Published at 19:19 GMT 20:19 UK 

Burmese military seeks to justify restrictions 

The Burmese military government says the travel restrictions it has imposed
on the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, are for her own safety. 

It said it had banned her from going outside the capital, Rangoon, because
she might be the target of an attack by Karen separatist guerrillas. 

A military spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Hla Min said the government had a
responsibility to protect its citizens from political violence. 

He said the government was willing to negotiate with what he termed
"officially appointed" leaders of Aung San Suu Kyi's party, the National
League for Democracy, but it did not recognise her as one of them. 



>From the newsroom of the BBC World Service