NEWS - The Junta's Tantrum Ends : B

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Subject: NEWS - The Junta's Tantrum Ends : Burma border opened, trade normalised

THE NATION - November 24, 1999

Headlines

The Junta's Tantrum Ends : 
Burma border opened, trade normalised

RANGOON has agreed to unconditionally reopen its border with Thailand
today,
ending nearly two months of strained relations triggered by what Burma
saw
as Bangkok's improper handling of the Burmese Embassy hostage crisis,
Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said yesterday.

The Burmese military government also agreed to facilitate the safe
return of
illegal Burmese workers whom it earlier rejected, he said.

The agreement was reached in Rangoon yesterday after a series of
meetings
between senior government officials and Surin, who was in Rangoon on a
one-day trip.

Surin said the First Secretary of the ruling State Peace and Development
Council, Lt Gen Khin Nyunt, had instructed township border committees
supervising four border checkpoints to meet their Thai counterparts
today,
signalling the normalisation of border activities.

''We have agreed that from Wednesday the township committees supervising
the
border at Ranong, Three Pagoda Pass, Mae Sot and Mae Sai will be
meeting.

''Everthing will return to normal, including border trade and
cross-border
travel procedures,'' Surin said on his return to Bangkok.

Earlier in Manila, Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon said he
planned to ask Surin how Southeast Asian countries could help ease
tensions
between Bangok and Rangoon.

Siazon is to meet Surin this week during the annual Asean Summit in
Manila.

Siazon said he would ask Surin about Burma's decision to close the
border.

''I'd like to know what way other Asean countries can help ease the
tensions
there,'' Siazon said.

''It seems to be natural that neighbours with a long border tend to have
tensions. But any exacerbation could be dangerous and could further
undermine Asean. We don't want to see that happen.''

Surin said Rangoon has agreed that the future handling of border
disputes
would be based on international laws and practices.

''Any disruption of border activities will be informed in advance by
both
sides. From now on [Thai-Burma] relations will be on an equal footing
and
both sides will look forward to strengthen their ties through the spirit
of
Asean and neighbourliness,'' he said.

He said Burma has not linked the resumption of border activities with a
demand for the arrest of the five Burmese armed rebels who stormed the
embassy in Bangkok and held more than 30 hostages at gunpoint on Oct 1.

The siege ended peacefully after the gunmen were flown to the border in
return for the release of all hostages.

The Burmese military government, which branded the five as terrorists,
closed the border, halting lucrative cross-border trade and excluding
Thai
fishermen from its territorial waters.

Thailand in turn began an expulsion of Burmese workers who have flooded
into
the country from their own impoverished land in search of employment.

However, in a related development yesterday, Foreign Ministry
director-general of East Asian affairs, Veerasak Footrakul, quoted Khin
Nyunt as saying that the embassy attackers should be handled in
accordance
with Thai laws.

Responsible authorities of both sides are also set to negotiate the
resumption of Thai fishing activities in Burmese waters.

According to Surin, the Foreign Ministry would inform its counterparts
of
the date of the meeting.

Surin said Burma wanted the fishing deals to be more regulated as Thai
trawlers had often breached bilateral agreements by fishing outside
concession areas, he said.

Surin said Burma also agreed to take back Burmese illegal workers on the
grounds that they should return to the areas they have left.

According to Surin, Burma admitted that these people sneaked out of the
country.

In the past, Rangoon has declined to admit that the workers were Burmese
nationals, thus, complicating the extradition process even further.

Rangoon was earlier reluctant to take them back; arguing it did not know
from where they originated.

The Nation, Associated Press