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Reuters-Former Japanese premier Has



Subject: Reuters-Former Japanese premier Hashimoto due in Myanmar 

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Former Japanese premier Hashimoto due in Myanmar=20
07:19 a.m. Nov 30, 1999 Eastern=20
YANGON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - The Japanese prime minister's senior foreign =
policy adviser, former premier Ryutaro Hashimoto, was to start a =
three-day visit to Myanmar on Tuesday that will include meetings with =
leaders of the ruling military.=20

What Japanese diplomats called a ``private'' visit in Hashimoto's =
capacity as an adviser to the Nippon Foundation comes just days after =
summit-level talks between Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and =
Myanmar's Senior General Than Shwe in the Philippines, the first between =
the countries in 15 years.=20

A Japanese diplomat said Hashimoto was to meet leaders of the ruling =
military council during his visit that ends on Friday.=20

``No meetings with the opposition have been scheduled so far,'' he said, =
referring to the National League for Democracy headed by 1991 Noble =
Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.=20

The diplomat said Hashimoto and Than Shwe had met during the 1997 ASEAN =
summit in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia while Hashimoto was Japan's prime =
minister, but they did not have formal talks.=20

He said Hashimoto was expected to discuss democratisation and human =
rights in Myanmar.=20

Obuchi told Than Shwe during their meeting on Sunday he wanted Myanmar's =
democratisation process to move forward in a ``visible'' way.=20

Obuchi said Myanmar's economy was in dire condition, and offered to =
provide help should the government take up economic structural reform =
seriously.=20

But he said it would become easier for Tokyo to provide help if Myanmar =
speeded up the democratisation process in a way which would be clear to =
the Japanese people.=20

Tokyo has generally taken a softer approach towards Myanmar's military =
than the West, opting for engagement rather than sanctions.=20

While Washington has maintained sanctions against Myanmar since May 1997 =
for its human rights record, Tokyo lifted a freeze on economic aid in =
1995 after Suu Kyi was freed from house arrest.=20

Japan also gave Myanmar a 2.5 billion yen ($24.5 million) loan in March =
1998 for safety projects at Yangon Airport and a 800 million yen loan =
for a food production project.=20


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><FONT size=3D4><STRONG>Former Japanese =
premier=20
Hashimoto due in Myanmar</STRONG> <BR></FONT>07:19 a.m. Nov 30, 1999 =
Eastern=20
<P>YANGON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - The Japanese prime minister's senior =
foreign=20
policy adviser, former premier Ryutaro Hashimoto, was to start a =
three-day visit=20
to Myanmar on Tuesday that will include meetings with leaders of the =
ruling=20
military.=20
<P>What Japanese diplomats called a ``private'' visit in Hashimoto's =
capacity as=20
an adviser to the Nippon Foundation comes just days after summit-level =
talks=20
between Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi and Myanmar's Senior =
General Than=20
Shwe in the Philippines, the first between the countries in 15 years.=20
<P>A Japanese diplomat said Hashimoto was to meet leaders of the ruling =
military=20
council during his visit that ends on Friday.=20
<P>``No meetings with the opposition have been scheduled so far,'' he =
said,=20
referring to the National League for Democracy headed by 1991 Noble =
Peace=20
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.=20
<P>The diplomat said Hashimoto and Than Shwe had met during the 1997 =
ASEAN=20
summit in Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia while Hashimoto was Japan's prime =
minister,=20
but they did not have formal talks.=20
<P>He said Hashimoto was expected to discuss democratisation and human =
rights in=20
Myanmar.=20
<P>Obuchi told Than Shwe during their meeting on Sunday he wanted =
Myanmar's=20
democratisation process to move forward in a ``visible'' way.=20
<P>Obuchi said Myanmar's economy was in dire condition, and offered to =
provide=20
help should the government take up economic structural reform seriously. =

<P>But he said it would become easier for Tokyo to provide help if =
Myanmar=20
speeded up the democratisation process in a way which would be clear to =
the=20
Japanese people.=20
<P>Tokyo has generally taken a softer approach towards Myanmar's =
military than=20
the West, opting for engagement rather than sanctions.=20
<P>While Washington has maintained sanctions against Myanmar since May =
1997 for=20
its human rights record, Tokyo lifted a freeze on economic aid in 1995 =
after Suu=20
Kyi was freed from house arrest.=20
<P>Japan also gave Myanmar a 2.5 billion yen ($24.5 million) loan in =
March 1998=20
for safety projects at Yangon Airport and a 800 million yen loan for a =
food=20
production project. </P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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