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Reuters-Thai foreign minister to vi

Subject: Reuters-Thai foreign minister to visit Myanmar Nov 23 

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Thai foreign minister to visit Myanmar Nov 23=20
01:34 a.m. Nov 22, 1999 Eastern=20
YANGON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan will =
visit Myanmar on Tuesday to discuss strained relations ahead of this =
week's summit of the Association of South East Asian Nations, a Thai =
embassy official said.=20

The official Myanmar News Agency (MNA), which never announces exact =
dates of such visits for security reasons, said on Monday Surin would =
make a ``friendly'' visit at the invitation of counterpart Win Aung ``in =
the near future.''=20

A Yangon-based Thai embassy official confirmed Surin would make the =
visit on Tuesday.=20

Talks are expected to focus on finding ways to patch up ties between the =
two countries damaged after a group of armed dissidents seized Myanmar's =
embassy in Thailand in early October.=20

Thailand angered Myanmar's military government when it allowed five =
dissidents safe passage to a border area after they relased 89 hostages =
unharmed.=20

It has kept its border closed to trade since the October 1-2 incident =
and suspended fishing rights, causing tens of millions of dollars of =
losses to Thai border traders and fishermen.=20

Local political analysts have speculated about the possibility of a =
meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and the head of the =
ruling military council's Senior General Than Shwe at the ASEAN Summit =
in Manila, which starts on November 27.=20

No Myanmar or Japanese embassy officials were available to comment as =
Monday was a public holiday in Myanmar.=20

If the meeting took place, it would be the first between leaders of the =
two countries since Myanmar's military took direct power in 1988 by =
killing thousands to crush a pro-democracy uprising.=20

``Unlike Western countries, Japan has more confidence and trust from =
Myanmar's military government,'' said one analyst. ``The Japanese might =
be able to persuade the SPDC (ruling State Peace and Development =
Council) to be more flexible in domestic politics.''=20

The United States and the European Union have slapped sanctions on =
Mynamar for its human rights record, in particular its treatment of the =
democratic opposition, which won the country's last election in 1990 but =
has never been allowed to govern.=20





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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT size=3D+1><STRONG>Thai foreign =
minister to=20
visit Myanmar Nov 23</STRONG></FONT> <BR>01:34 a.m. Nov 22, 1999 Eastern =

<P>YANGON, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan will =
visit=20
Myanmar on Tuesday to discuss strained relations ahead of this week's =
summit of=20
the Association of South East Asian Nations, a Thai embassy official =
said.=20
<P>The official Myanmar News Agency (MNA), which never announces exact =
dates of=20
such visits for security reasons, said on Monday Surin would make a =
``friendly''=20
visit at the invitation of counterpart Win Aung ``in the near future.''=20
<P>A Yangon-based Thai embassy official confirmed Surin would make the =
visit on=20
Tuesday.=20
<P>Talks are expected to focus on finding ways to patch up ties between =
the two=20
countries damaged after a group of armed dissidents seized Myanmar's =
embassy in=20
Thailand in early October.=20
<P>Thailand angered Myanmar's military government when it allowed five=20
dissidents safe passage to a border area after they relased 89 hostages=20
unharmed.=20
<P>It has kept its border closed to trade since the October 1-2 incident =
and=20
suspended fishing rights, causing tens of millions of dollars of losses =
to Thai=20
border traders and fishermen.=20
<P>Local political analysts have speculated about the possibility of a =
meeting=20
between Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and the head of the ruling =
military=20
council's Senior General Than Shwe at the ASEAN Summit in Manila, which =
starts=20
on November 27.=20
<P>No Myanmar or Japanese embassy officials were available to comment as =
Monday=20
was a public holiday in Myanmar.=20
<P>If the meeting took place, it would be the first between leaders of =
the two=20
countries since Myanmar's military took direct power in 1988 by killing=20
thousands to crush a pro-democracy uprising.=20
<P>``Unlike Western countries, Japan has more confidence and trust from=20
Myanmar's military government,'' said one analyst. ``The Japanese might =
be able=20
to persuade the SPDC (ruling State Peace and Development Council) to be =
more=20
flexible in domestic politics.''=20
<P>The United States and the European Union have slapped sanctions on =
Mynamar=20
for its human rights record, in particular its treatment of the =
democratic=20
opposition, which won the country's last election in 1990 but has never =
been=20
allowed to govern.=20
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