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5-oct-99:AAP/SIEGE ON BURMESE EMBAS
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THAI-EMBASSY ASIA: THAIS PLAY DOWN FALLOUT FROM MYANMAR EMBASSY SIEGE
DATE: 16:37 05-Oct-99
ASIA: Thais play down fallout from Myanmar embassy siege THAI EMBASSY
(CARRIED EARLIER)
By Sutin Wannabovorn
BANGKOK, Oct 5 Reuters - Thailand will not change its policy of
sheltering dissidents and refugees despite last week's attack on
Burma's embassy in Bangkok by five armed students, Thai officials said
today.
They also said the incident was unlikely to affect ties with
neighbouring Rangoon.
Burma accused Thailand yesterday of glorifying the gunmen after Bangkok
called them student pro-democracy activists and even suggested that
some foreigners taken hostage had helped to stage the attack. The gunmen
took 89 hostages but later freed them and escaped.
"Yes, there is some sentiment (from Rangoon) as the incident is still
fresh, but that feeling will eventually evaporate," Foreign Minister
Surin Pitsuwan told reporters.
"The long-standing and close relations between the two countries will
not be affected by the incident and all aspects of cooperation will
continue as usual," he said.
"Creating confidence is the top priority for the time being," Surin
said, adding that Thailand had increased the number of security
personnel at the Burmese embassy.
Burma's military government had also agreed to step up security at the
Thai embassy in Rangoon, Surin said.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra said "the action of a few
people will not change the long-standing Thai humanitarian policy.
Thailand is the Buddhist nation where we provide sheltering for people
who run away from suffering and seek help and refuge. One incident
cannot make us change this policy."
Thailand provides shelter for dissident Burmese students after Rangoon
killed thousands of pro-democracy supporters in late 1988.
Sukhumbhand and another Thai official were taken by the embassy
attackers as guarantors of safe passage in a helicopter. The attackers
released them after making their escape at a town along the Thai-Burma
border.
Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart, who came under fire for
security lapses, agreed with Sukhumbhand.
"Yes, we have to be more strict with them (dissidents) but if we become
too strict with them the government will be subject to the criticism
from non-governmental organisations," he said.
Burma's government had warned that Bangkok's handling of the hostage
saga with kid gloves could set a precedent for other dissidents and
affect security of other embassies in Thailand.
"The students staged the drama because they wanted to draw attention
from the international community. At this time everyone seemed to be
paying attention to East Timor," said Lieutenant Colonel Ner Hdar,
spokesman for the Karen National Union (KNU) guerrilla group, which is
fighting the Rangoon government for a autonomous eastern Karen state.
REUTERS ts
THAI-EMBASSY-BURMA ASIA: BURMA ACCUSES FOREIGNERS OF ORCHESTRATING
HOSTAGE
CRIS
DATE: 16:49 05-Oct-99
ASIA: Burma accuses foreigners of orchestrating hostage crisis THAI
EMBASSY BURMA
RANGOON, Oct 5 AFP - The Burmese junta today accused foreign interests
of masterminding the hostage crisis at Rangoon's embassy in the Thai
capital Bangkok.
Editorials in state-run newspapers described the hostage crisis as a
"bizarre political theatre."
"The drama was fishy to say the least and stank of conspiracy," the New
Light of Burma said today.
Burma said yesterday that foreign diplomats in Bangkok held several
meetings with anti-junta groups based in Thailand and hinted they may
have played a role in the crisis.
The editorial repeatedly refered to "foreign paymasters" who allegedly
masterminded the 25-hour siege, in which 38 people were held hostage by
Burmese gunmen claiming to be pro-democracy students in exile.
The five gunmen demanded that the military junta in Rangoon open talks
with the democratic opposition led by Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu
Kyi.
The junta repeatedly accuses Aung San Suu Kyi, who denied involvement
in the embassy storming and decried the use of violence, of having
foreign backers.
Editorials today also criticised the gunmen's Western hostages for
"taking a free ride in the conspiracy."
As the gunmen climbed into an escape helicopter provided by the Thai
authorities on Saturday to take them to the border, freed Western
hostages waved red pro-democracy banners and shouted slogans.
In earlier statements the junta claimed some of the western hostages
were part of an elaborate "stage act" and had been involved in planning
the hostage crisis.
AFP ts