UK/NURMA:SPDC'S VISA REFUSAL AS ACC

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: UK/NURMA:SPDC'S VISA REFUSAL AS ACCOLADE

FOCUS-UK sees Myanmar visa refusal as ``accolade'' 
12:55 p.m. Dec 01, 1998 Eastern 
LONDON, Dec 1 (Reuters) - A British government minister said on Tuesday he
saw Myanmar's decision to refuse him a visa as an accolade for his criticism
of its human rights record. 

Foreign Office minister Derek Fatchett told parliament: ``I have been told
today that the Burmese authorities will not allow me to visit Burma, and I
see that probably as an accolade for the work that we have done and the
fight we have made for democracy and human rights in Burma.'' 

The Foreign Office earlier said that Myanmar was now refusing visas to
British ministers and government officials who want to visit the country. 

Officials said they regarded the move, which was to take immediate effect,
as an acknowledgement of Britain's leading role in pushing Myanmar to
improve human rights and start talking with opposition leaders such as Aung
San Suu Kyi. 

``I regret this move by the (Myanmar) regime. It will in no way dissuade us
from continuing to work for an improvement in the human rights and political
situation,'' Fatchett said. 

The officials said the ban was directed solely at Britain, and did not apply
to other European Union states. 

The 15-member EU is at present refusing visas for members of the Myanmar
military and security forces who benefit from moves to block the southern
Asian country's transition to democracy. 

Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won the last free elections in
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, in 1990. She has since faced periods of
house arrest and harassment at the hands of the military government which
refused to accept the result. 


C