Bangkok Post News (5199) (r)

[mandalay@xxxxxxxxxx]

Suu Kyi rules out deal on World Bank aid for talks

Junta says medical schools have reopened

Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has ruled out making any deals
with Burma's junta to secure up to a billion dollars of World Bank aid
reportedly being offered to spur political dialogue.
In a message that appeared on the Internet yesterday, the National League
for Democracy (NLD) chief responded to a reported World Bank initiative to
unblock the deadlock between her opposition National League for Democracy
and the military government.

"That this aid will be given if an agreement can be reached with the NLD by
the SPDC (government) is also an assumption by the media people," she said.

"Let me tell you this news is without foundation,"

Reports late last year said the World Bank and the United Nations had
entered into talks with the government and NLD in a bid to open political
dialogue.

The step would call for step-by-step compromises with the government and
opposition to be rewarded by increasing amounts of aid.
Burma's economy has reached crisis point, diplomats and analysts in Rangoon
say, pulverised by Western economic sanctions and an investment droughts
brought on by Asia's crisis.
Mrs Suu Kyi's opposition party called on the people of Burma to strive with
"zeal and courage" to build a democratic state to replace the current
military dictatorship.
The NLD issued the call in a statement after the chairman of Burma's junta
General Than Shwe lashed out at Mrs Suu Kyi in an independence day message
on Monday.
Meanwhile, in an apparent sign of confidence, the junta yesterday announced
the reopening of medical schools, two years after closing universities
nationwide to quell student unrest.
The only announcement that three medical schools and dental school in
Rangoon and Burma's second-largest city, Mandalay, had reopened came in a
one-line press statement. No reason was given.

 ................................ The End .........................