[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

BKK Post (14-10-99) Junta fishes fo

Subject: BKK Post (14-10-99) Junta fishes for arrests

<html>
<font size=5><b>Junta fishes for arrests<br>
</font><font size=4><i>Precondition set to resuming normal ties<br>
<br>
</font></i><font size=3>Saritdet Marukatat and Aphaluck Bhatiasevi<br>
</b>The arrest and prosecution of the dissident students who took over
the Burmese embassy in Bangkok is a precondition for the normalisation of
relations, the Burmese ambassador said yesterday.<br>
&quot;The sooner they are arrested, the sooner the problems will be
solved,&quot; Hla Maung said after talks with Foreign Minister Surin
Pitsuwan.<br>
Burma closed its land border with Thailand and its waters to Thai
fishermen after the five armed Burmese took over the embassy on Oct 1 and
held 38 people hostage for 25 hours.<br>
Speaking through an interpreter, the ambassador said the five men not
only made demands for democracy in Burma, they had intended to hold him
hostage and seize embassy property.<br>
The ambassador escaped capture because he had left the embassy only a
short time before its seizure.<br>
There was no need for Thailand to send the men to Burma for punishment,
he said.<br>
&quot;The problem took place in Thailand. The Thai government must solve
the problem,&quot; he said.<br>
&quot;There is no need to send them to Burma. The matter must proceed
according to Thai law. The Burmese government will not intervene.&quot;Mr
Surin had summoned the ambassador to the Foreign Ministry to inquire
there was any progress in resolving matters since their last meeting on
Friday.<br>
Ministry spokesman Don Pramudwinai said the Burmese ambassador had not
issued a demand and had not spoken so bluntly to the minister. The
ambassador had only mentioned that the people who stormed the embassy
were still at large. Arrest warrants had been issued and the dissidents
were being hunted by police, Mr Don said. They have been charged with
illegal detention, illegal possession of firearms, robbery and
hijacking.<br>
The ambassador also told Mr Surin that troop movements along the border
were part of a seasonal rotation that happened to coincide with events,
the spokesman said. On the issue of fishing rights, he told the minister
Burmese authorities were still organising a new order at sea, Mr Don
said.<br>
Thai fishermen claim they are losing about 43 million baht a day as a
result of the Burmese ban.<br>
The government has invited Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister Khin Maung Win
to come to Bangkok to discuss the matter.<br>
In a letter to the Burmese deputy minister on Tuesday, Deputy Foreign
Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra reiterated that the government would not
condone any &quot;terrorist act&quot; against foreign representatives and
outlined steps taken to prevent a recurrence.<br>
Deputy Prime Minister Korn Dabbaransi said on returning from a health
ministers meeting in Rangoon yesterday that the Burmese junta leader had
advised Thailand to be patient.<br>
Mr Korn said Secretary One Lt Gen Khin Nyunt had confirmed a continuous
bilateral relationship, and emphasised that Thailand and Burma needed to
do a lot more together.</font>
<BR>
</html>