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AFP-Thai FM to visit Myanmar
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Thai FM to visit Myanmar
BANGKOK, Nov 16 (AFP) - Thailand's Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said =
Tuesday he would visit Myanmar within a week to try to soothe strained =
relations before the ASEAN summit in Manila.=20
"I have confirmed with the Myanmar ambassador that I will definitely go =
to Myanmar and it is likely that it will be before November 25," he told =
reporters.=20
Surin hinted that Thailand would ask military rulers in Yangon to reopen =
border checkpoints clamped shut after a siege at Myanmar's embassy in =
Bangkok on October 1.=20
"Thailand hopes to see peace and order along the common border which =
could benefit people on both sides," he said.=20
"I want it to return to normal as soon as possible before more problems =
occur."=20
Surin will have to slot his trip between a visit to Thailand of =
Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer from Tuesday to Thursday =
and that of his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong at the end of this =
week.=20
He must also prepare for the Association of Southeast Asian =
Nationsinformal summit in Manila next week as Thailand currently leads =
the regional forum's policy-making standing committee.=20
Myanmar's junta closed the border after Thailand negotiated to allow =
five gunmen safe passage to the frontier in return for releasing =
hostages held at the embassy.=20
Since the incident, it has also closed its territorial waters to Thai =
fishermen, costing the industry dearly.=20
The junta has also been critical of comments by some Thai officials that =
the gunmen were democracy activists and not terrorists.=20
The closure of the border has complicated a sweeping effort to deport =
illegal labour, mainly from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, by authorities =
in Thailand.
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<DIV><FONT color=3D#bb0000 face=3Darial,helvetica>Thai FM to visit =
Myanmar</FONT>
<P></P>BANGKOK, Nov 16 (AFP) - Thailand's Foreign Minister Surin =
Pitsuwan said=20
Tuesday he would visit Myanmar within a week to try to soothe strained =
relations=20
before the ASEAN summit in Manila.=20
<P>"I have confirmed with the Myanmar ambassador that I will definitely =
go to=20
Myanmar and it is likely that it will be before November 25," he told =
reporters.=20
<P>Surin hinted that Thailand would ask military rulers in Yangon to =
reopen=20
border checkpoints clamped shut after a siege at Myanmar's embassy in =
Bangkok on=20
October 1.=20
<P>"Thailand hopes to see peace and order along the common border which =
could=20
benefit people on both sides," he said.=20
<P>"I want it to return to normal as soon as possible before more =
problems=20
occur."=20
<P>Surin will have to slot his trip between a visit to Thailand of =
Australian=20
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer from Tuesday to Thursday and that of =
his=20
Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong at the end of this week.=20
<P>He must also prepare for the Association of Southeast Asian =
Nationsinformal=20
summit in Manila next week as Thailand currently leads the regional =
forum's=20
policy-making standing committee.=20
<P>Myanmar's junta closed the border after Thailand negotiated to allow =
five=20
gunmen safe passage to the frontier in return for releasing hostages =
held at the=20
embassy.=20
<P>Since the incident, it has also closed its territorial waters to Thai =
fishermen, costing the industry dearly.=20
<P>The junta has also been critical of comments by some Thai officials =
that the=20
gunmen were democracy activists and not terrorists.=20
<P>The closure of the border has complicated a sweeping effort to deport =
illegal=20
labour, mainly from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, by authorities in=20
Thailand.</P></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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