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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BURMA RELATED NEWS - January - 31, 2001. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HEADLINE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFP - Aung San Suu Kyi optimistic over talks with junta:
source
AP - Ethnic Minorities
Welcome Myanmar Govt Talks With Suu Kyi
AP - Follows Release Of Activists
AP - Myanmar Talks
Move Ahead
Xinhua - EU Delegation
Ends Visit to Myanmar
Los Angeles Times - Powell Wants Time Out on Sanctions
IRNA - World trade unions pile pressure on
Myanmar
The Independent
(Bangladesh)- Dhaka, Yangon to conduct joint survey of site February
2
IHT - Talks With
Democracy Leader Signal Junta's New Flexibility
The Nation - Burma
hope
Bkk Post - Surin urges official line with
Burma
BBC - 'Burmese
refugees smuggling arms'
SCMP - Military junta swayed by subtle art of
persuasion
Wednesday, January 31 4:16 PM SGT
Aung San Suu Kyi optimistic over talks
with junta: source
BANGKOK, Jan 31 (AFP) -
Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi told a visiting EU delegation she was
cautiously optimistic about talks with Myanmar's junta and hopes they will lead
to an official dialogue, sources said Wednesday.
The five-member European Union team met with Aung San Suu Kyi for more than
two hours Tuesday at her lakeside residence where she has been confined by the
military regime since September 22.
It was her first confirmed contact with foreign diplomats since UN envoy
Razali Ismail visited her twice earlier this month.
Razali later revealed that the Nobel peace laureate had met twice with
junta number-three Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt and that the opposition and the
junta were edging towards their first dialogue since 1994.
Aung San Suu Kyi expressed "cautious optimism" over the ongoing initial
talks and said she hoped they would "lead to more substantive official ones," a
diplomatic source who met with the EU delegation told AFP.
The EU officials found the opposition leader "in good health and in high
spirits ... and quite comfortable with her present living conditions," he
said.
The Swedish-led delegation arrived in Yangon Sunday to investigate the new
mood in the military-run country and to encourage the junta and the opposition
to break their decade-long political deadlock.
On Monday they held talks with Foreign Minister Win Aung and
Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, the powerful head of military intelligence who
has now met with Aung San Suu Kyi at least twice.
And on Tuesday they saw leaders of Myanmar's ethnic political parties,
including the Shan National League for Democracy which was runner-up to the NLD
in the 1990 elections that the junta has refused to recognise.
Sweden's ambassador to Bangkok Jan Axel Nordlander, representing the EU
presidency, said before the team's arrival that it appeared Aung San Suu Kyi had
temporarily accepted the house arrest restrictions.
In view of the junta's extreme sensitivity to the influence of foreign
governments and their missions in Yangon, she believed the restrictions would
help cement plans for a dialogue before they are exposed to public
scrutiny.
The diplomatic source said that in the meeting on Monday with Khin Nyunt,
the powerful chief of military intelligence, the EU officials were briefed on
the military's efforts to bolster trust and confidence between the two
sides.
After the release last week of more than 80 opposition prisoners including
National League for Democracy (NLD) vice-chairman Tin Oo, more concessions are
in the offing as the talks progress, Khin Nyunt told the team.
He indicated that the next batch to be released could be some 30 NLD
members elected in the disallowed 1990 elections who would be free to return
home permanently "at an appropriate time," he said.
Khin Nyunt reiterated during the meeting that neither the junta nor the
opposition would reveal the "nature and content" of the ongoing talks until a
"proper climate" was created.
Wednesday January 31, 3:54 PM
Ethnic Minorities Welcome Myanmar Govt Talks With Suu Kyi YANGON, Myanmar (AP)--Myanmar
ethnic minority leaders have told members of a visiting European Union mission
that they welcome with "cautious optimism" the secret talks between
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the ruling military.
Khun Tun Oo, chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, said
Wednesday he urged a tripartite dialogue including all ethnic groups when the
talks touch on ethnic issues.
The Shan leader and other representatives of the Shan, Arakan and Zomi
ethnic groups met late Tuesday with an EU delegation. The delegation's four-day
mission to Myanmar ends Wednesday.
The EU mission is trying to foster an end to the decade-long political
impasse between Suu Kyi's party and the military, and assess progress toward
national reconciliation.
The military, which is dominated by Myanmar's ethnic Burman majority, has
controlled Myanmar since 1962.
The military regards its success in reaching cease-fires with most ethnic
rebel armies in Myanmar over the past decade as one of its greatest achievements
after decades of civil strife in border regions. But it has yet to reach a
political settlement with any of them. Most seek more autonomy, although a
handful want independence.
Many observers remain skeptical that the talks between Suu Kyi and the
regime mean a major political breakthrough is in the offing.
The EU delegation, led by Sweden, held more than two hours of discussions
Tuesday with Suu Kyi, who has been kept under house detention by the military
authorities for the past four months.
It has also met with Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt - the third-ranking general in the
ruling State Peace and Development Council - who has held at least two rounds of
secret talks with Suu Kyi since October, the first in six years.
The talks have signaled a thaw in relations and heralded the release last
week of 84 democracy activists, most of whom were imprisoned after Suu Kyi tried
to travel with aides to do party work outside Yangon on Sept. 21.
Suu Kyi and two top lieutenants, however, remain confined to their homes.
The EU delegation will make an official announcement about its evaluation
of the visit in Brussels next week.
Wednesday January 31, 10:39 PM
Thai Official/Myanmar -2: Follows Release Of Activists Dow Jones Newswires 31-01-01 1359GMT Follows Release Of
Activists
BANGKOK (AP)--Pro-democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the Myanmar military regime gave positive
indications to a visiting European Union delegation that they want
reconciliation talks to move forward, Thailand's foreign ministry said
Wednesday.
The delegation, led by Sweden, also met with Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt - the
third-ranking general in the ruling State Peace and Development Council - who
has held at least two rounds of secret talks with Suu Kyi, the first in six
years.
While many observers remain skeptical that a major political breakthrough
is in the offing, the talks have heralded an easing of tensions and the release
last week of 84 National League for Democracy activists.
Most were imprisoned after Suu Kyi tried to travel with aides to do party
work outside Yangon on Sept. 21. Suu Kyi and two top lieutenants remain confined
to their homes.
For the past decade, Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy has been
subject to harsh treatment by the military, which brutally crushed a
pro-democracy uprising in 1988 and two years later refused to recognize the
outcome of a general election which the NLD won by a landslide.
The EU mission also met with Myanmar ethnic minority leaders who greeted
the talks with "cautious optimism."
Khun Tun Oo, chairman of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy, said
Wednesday he urged a tripartite dialogue including all ethnic groups when the
talks touch on ethnic issues.
The military regards its success in reaching cease-fires with most ethnic
rebel armies in Myanmar over the past decade as one of its greatest achievements
after decades of civil strife in border regions. But it has yet to reach a
political settlement with any of them. Most seek more autonomy, although a
handful want independence.
The E.U. mission also met separately Wednesday with intermediaries of
cease-fire groups and with Yangon-based diplomats from Australia, the U.S.,
Britain, India and Japan.
At the Thai-Myanmar border, a leader of a major ethnic rebel group that has
not reached a truce said he did not believe the regime was sincere in its hopes
for an end to Myanmar's political stalemate.
"They are not sincere," Bo Mya, vice-chairman of the Karen National Union,
told reporters. Holding the talks "is something they (the regime) have to do
because they are under pressure from all over the world," he said.
However, he hoped the development could pave the way for fresh peace talks
between the Myanmar government and the KNU.
The EU delegation will make an official announcement about its evaluation
of the visit in Brussels next week. The delegation is due to hold a press
conference in Bangkok late Wednesday.
Wednesday, January 31 11:00 PM SGT
Myanmar Talks Move Ahead By GRANT PECK, Associated Press Writer BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -
Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the Myanmar military regime told a
visiting European Union delegation they want reconciliation talks to move
forward, Thailand's foreign ministry said Wednesday.
The EU team, which on Wednesday ended a four-day mission to the military
state to gauge an apparent thaw in relations, said Suu Kyi looked relaxed, which
they took as a good sign of the tenor of the talks that began in October, the
ministry said in a statement released in Bangkok.
The French ambassador to Yangon on Tuesday briefed Southeast Asian
ambassadors including the Thai envoy after the EU delegation held a two-hour
meeting with Suu Kyi at her house in the capital, where she has been detained by
the military authorities since Sept. 22.
``They (the EU) said both sides gave positive indications that they wanted
their talks to move forward,'' the ministry said.
The EU was pleased with its meetings with both Suu Kyi and the government,
it said. The EU mission is seen as an important opportunity to gauge for the
first time what Suu Kyi thinks about the talks.
The EU mission, the first to Myanmar since July 1999, was trying to foster
an end to the decade-long political impasse between Suu Kyi's National League
for Democracy party and the military, which has controlled the nation, also
known as Burma, since 1962.
The delegation, led by Sweden, also met with Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt - the
third-ranking general in the ruling State Peace and Development Council - who
has held at least two rounds of secret talks with Suu Kyi, the first in six
years.
While many observers remain skeptical that a political breakthrough is in
the offing, the talks have heralded an easing of tensions and the release last
week of 84 NLD activists.
Most were imprisoned after Suu Kyi tried to travel with aides to do party
work outside Yangon on Sept. 21. Suu Kyi and two top lieutenants remain confined
to their homes.
For the past decade, the NLD has been subject to harsh treatment by the
military, which brutally crushed a pro-democracy uprising in 1988 and two years
later refused to recognize the outcome of a general election which the party won
by a landslide.
At the Thai-Myanmar border, a leader of an ethnic rebel group said he did
not believe the regime was sincere in its hopes for an end to Myanmar's
political stalemate.
Bo Mya, vice-chairman of the Karen National Union, said that holding the
talks ``is something they (the regime) have to do because they are under
pressure from all over the world.''
However, he hoped the development could pave the way for fresh peace talks
between the Myanmar government and the KNU.
The EU delegation will make an official announcement about its evaluation
of the visit in Brussels next week. The delegation is due to hold a news
conference in Bangkok late Wednesday.
EU Delegation Ends Visit to
Myanmar
2001.01.31 21:55:36 YANGON, January 31（Xinhuanet）--
A delegation of the European Union（EU）, who was on a three-day
mission to Myanmar to work for the country's national
reconciliation, ended its visit here Wednesday evening.
During its visit, the EU troika, which consists of representatives
from Belgium, Sweden, the Commission of the EU and the Council of the EU,
met with First Secretary of the ruling Myanmar State Peace and
Development Council Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt and Foreign
Minister U Win Aung.
The delegation was also able to meet General Secretary of the
opposition National League for Democracy （NLD ） Aung San Suu Kyi twice,
who is still under house arrest by the government since last
September.
However, no details about their meetings were disclosed by both
sides.
It was a continuation of the EU dialogue that began in 1999 and is
also the first time for an EU mission to come to Myanmar since foreign
ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN） and
the EU met for the 13th time in Vientiane last December, participated for
the first time by three new ASEAN members including Myanmar after
Myanmar joined the grouping in July in 1997.
Before EU delegation's visit, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan has
confirmed through a latest report by his special envoy Razali Ismail after
ending a five-day mission to Myanmar early this month that a direct
dialogue between Khin Nyunt and Aung San Suu Kyi in the area of confidence
building had secretly started in last October, which was also the first
official dialogue between the warring sides since 1994.
More substantive discussions between them are expected to follow
shortly.
Meanwhile, as a goodwill gesture to the EU delegation's visit, the
Myanmar government released NLD Vice-Chairman U Tin Oo and 85 other party
youth members last Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
Los Angeles Times
Powell Wants Time Out on Sanctions
By GEORGE GEDDA, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON--Economic sanctions have been seen for years as a useful tool
for dealing with wayward nations, sort of a halfway point between doing nothing
and sending in the Marines.
Sanctions have been losing their cachet of late, with business interests
complaining that sanctions seldom work and cost American business exports worth
billions of dollars.
The anti-sanctions movement now has a formidable ally: Secretary of State
Colin Powell. The Clinton administration questioned the utility of sanctions but
not to the degree that Powell did when he testified before the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee two weeks ago.
He practically pleaded with senators to knock it off.
"I would encourage the Congress to stop for a while. I mean stop, look and
listen before you impose a sanction," he said. "I mean, they just keep coming,
and I think I've seen about half a dozen new ones ... in the last couple of
weeks.
"I would encourage self-discipline on the part of the Congress; that when
you're mad about something, or when there is a particular constituent interest,
please stop, count to 10, call me, let me come up, let's talk about it before
you slap another bureaucratic process on me."
He said he plans a review of all current sanctions to determine whether
they should be removed.
President Bush said Wednesday he will support a continuation of U.N.
sanctions against Libya until that country accepts responsibility for the
bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. Bush commented
after a Scottish court convicted a Libyan intelligence officer of murder in the
bombing, which claimed 270 lives, mostly Americans.
Aryeh Neier, president of the Open Society Institute and veteran human
rights advocate, hopes Powell does not act too precipitously.
"It would be a mistake to abandon sanctions in situations where there are
no ready substitutes, as in the promotion of international human rights," Neier
says, writing in The New York Times.
Neier cites the example of Myanmar, also known as Burma, where a military
dictatorship has ruled harshly for more than a decade. The United States
signaled its opposition to the junta years ago by banning new investments and
stripping U.S. visas from leading members of the government.
Neier believes the sanctions are finally having an effect, pointing out
that the government has opened negotiations with Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel
Prize-winning leader of Myanmar's democratic opposition.
He also says that sanctions were instrumental in inducing South Africa's
apartheid government to open the way to a transition to democracy.
Powell said that in preparing for his new role, he was astonished to find
the number of countries subject to sanctions. It's a situation, he said, that
makes it "a little difficult for the administration to conduct foreign policy as
effectively as we might."
A 1997 report by the President's Export Council found 73 countries targeted
by unilateral sanctions.
Leading the fight against sanctions is USA Engage, a corporate group which
maintains that sanctions cost the U.S. economy $19 billion annually.
The group's research found there are or have been sanctions against South
Korea and Saudi Arabia over labor rights; India and Pakistan for nuclear
testing; Colombia for narcotics; and China for human rights abuses and
environmental worries.
Citizens of Canada and Israel were sanctioned for doing business in Cuba.
Egypt and Germany were threatened with sanctions because of objections to
alleged religious persecution, as were companies in Russia, Malaysia and France
for investing in Iran's petroleum sector.
Two countries under sanctions now, Powell believes, should remain under
sanctions: Iraq, which has been under U.N. Security Council sanctions for more
than 10 years, and Cuba, target of unilateral U.S. sanctions.
Powell said the United States must make clear to the Iraqis that the
sanctions must be kept in place and ensure that funds earned through Iraq's
oil-for-food program are not used to develop weapons of mass destruction.
As for Cuba, Powell said President Fidel Castro is "an aging starlet, who
will not change in this lifetime. ... It is President Bush's intention to keep
the sanctions in place."
Myanmar-Ban
/WRD/
World trade unions pile pressure on Myanmar Kuala Lumpur, Jan 31, IRNA --
Trade unions across the world have been requested to press their governments to
impose a ban on investments in and trade with Myanmar (Burma), ahead of an
important meeting of the International Labour Organization in March, a report
said.
According to the Thai daily, the Nation, in a 10-page briefing on Burma
sent on Tuesday to its 221 affiliated national union centers in 148 countries,
the Brussels-based International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
(ICFTU) mentions 30 different products which provide "vast evidence of forced
labor over the last 10
years".
The products range from teak wood to coconut oil, rubber, cement, coffee,
sugar cane and others. The ICFTU also said it had accumulated evidence of forced
labor in 17 different areas of
industry.
In addition to oil and gas production and textiles, where forced labor is
already well documented, the ICFTU said it was now also researching in other
directions, such as the telecommunications, automobile and pharmaceuticals
industries.
The ICFTU move comes as a European Union delegation is visiting the Burmese
capital Rangoon, where it expects to meet top military officials as well as
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is still under house
arrest.
The ICFTU said it had "extensively briefed" both the Belgian and Swedish
diplomats taking part in the EU mission about the implications of a recent ILO
resolution on
Burma.
Adopted in June 2000 and confirmed last November, the ILO document calls
for the organization's member states to "review relations" with Burma and cease
any that might help the Junta perpetuate the forced labor
system.
Quoting several statements by senior governmental representatives from the
region, the ICFTU said: "We have noticed some very small and cosmetic steps by
the military, but we are still very far from seeing any real
progress.
BN/LS/RR
End ::irna 01/02/2001 14:52 The Independent (Bangladesh)
January 31, 2001. Dam construction: Dhaka, Yangon to conduct joint survey of site February 2 by Staff Reporter Senior officials of Bangladesh and Myanmar are expected to conduct on
February 2, a joint survey of the site in the Naf river, where Myanmars border
security force, Nasaka, began construction of a cross dam in violation of the
border treaty and international rules.
Nasaka had to stop the construction on January 8, the day they started
building the dam with a motive to divert the course of the river, flowing
between the two countries, in the face of objections by the Bangladesh Rifles
(BDR).
The planned joint survey will take place as per the proposal of Myanmar.
The Myanmar authorities made the proposal on January 16, amidst tensions,
following illegal activities of the Myanmar border troops.
An official source said yesterday that an 11-member Bangladesh team and a
14-member delegation from Myanmar will jointly inspect the site, which has
already been identified as the Bangladesh territory in a map released by an
international agency.
The Bangladesh team will comprise officials from the ministries of the Home
Affairs, the Foreign Affairs, the Land and the Water Resources and BDR.
The International Herald Tribune
January 31, 2001. Talks With Democracy Leader Signal Junta's New Flexibility RANGOON A European Union delegation met on Tuesday with the main democracy leader in Burma, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent more than four months under de facto house arrest. . The EU officials, who arrived in Rangoon on Sunday for a three-day visit, were the only foreign diplomats besides Razali Ismail, the UN special envoy, to have been allowed to meet the democracy leader since September. . The four-member EU delegation, accompanied by Germany's ambassador to Burma, spent more than two hours inside the central Rangoon residence of the Nobel peace laureate and left without comment. . The EU team also had lunch with diplomats from countries of the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations, which admitted Burma in 1997 over EU protests. . "They say the situation is positive and they are optimistic," an ASEAN diplomat said. . On Monday, the EU delegation met Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, Secretary One of the ruling State Peace and Development Council, and Foreign Minister Win Aung. . Meetings with representatives of Burma's ethnic minority groups are also planned. . Burma has faced heavy criticism from the EU for its treatment of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy, which won elections in 1990 by a landslide but has never been allowed to govern. . In recent weeks, however, there have been signs of a thaw in the military government's stance toward the democratic opposition. . This month, the United Nations said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and senior government leaders had held secret meetings. . Last week, more than 80 members of the National League for Democracy, including the party's vice chairman, Tin Oo, were released from jail. . Editorials denouncing the party in the official media have also suddenly ceased. . Burma agreed to the visit of a European delegation last month during a meeting in Laos of EU and ASEAN ministers. It was the first ministerial-level meeting between the two groups since 1997. . Myanmar's official media have made no mention of the EU visit, but the event has become the talk of the town. Yangon residents heard of the trip from Burmese-language radio services from foreign broadcasters. Talks With Democracy Leader Signal Junta's New Flexibility RANGOON A European Union delegation met on Tuesday with the main democracy leader in Burma, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent more than four months under de facto house arrest. . The EU officials, who arrived in Rangoon on Sunday for a three-day visit, were the only foreign diplomats besides Razali Ismail, the UN special envoy, to have been allowed to meet the democracy leader since September. . The four-member EU delegation, accompanied by Germany's ambassador to Burma, spent more than two hours inside the central Rangoon residence of the Nobel peace laureate and left without comment. . The EU team also had lunch with diplomats from countries of the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations, which admitted Burma in 1997 over EU protests. . "They say the situation is positive and they are optimistic," an ASEAN diplomat said. . On Monday, the EU delegation met Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, Secretary One of the ruling State Peace and Development Council, and Foreign Minister Win Aung. . Meetings with representatives of Burma's ethnic minority groups are also planned. . Burma has faced heavy criticism from the EU for its treatment of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy, which won elections in 1990 by a landslide but has never been allowed to govern. . In recent weeks, however, there have been signs of a thaw in the military government's stance toward the democratic opposition. . This month, the United Nations said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and senior government leaders had held secret meetings. . Last week, more than 80 members of the National League for Democracy, including the party's vice chairman, Tin Oo, were released from jail. . Editorials denouncing the party in the official media have also suddenly ceased. . Burma agreed to the visit of a European delegation last month during a meeting in Laos of EU and ASEAN ministers. It was the first ministerial-level meeting between the two groups since 1997. . Myanmar's official media have made no mention of the EU visit, but the event has become the talk of the town. Yangon residents heard of the trip from Burmese-language radio services from foreign broadcasters. Talks With Democracy Leader Signal Junta's New Flexibility RANGOON A European Union delegation met on Tuesday with the main democracy leader in Burma, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who has spent more than four months under de facto house arrest. . The EU officials, who arrived in Rangoon on Sunday for a three-day visit, were the only foreign diplomats besides Razali Ismail, the UN special envoy, to have been allowed to meet the democracy leader since September. . The four-member EU delegation, accompanied by Germany's ambassador to Burma, spent more than two hours inside the central Rangoon residence of the Nobel peace laureate and left without comment. . The EU team also had lunch with diplomats from countries of the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations, which admitted Burma in 1997 over EU protests. . "They say the situation is positive and they are optimistic," an ASEAN diplomat said. . On Monday, the EU delegation met Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, Secretary One of the ruling State Peace and Development Council, and Foreign Minister Win Aung. . Meetings with representatives of Burma's ethnic minority groups are also planned. . Burma has faced heavy criticism from the EU for its treatment of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy, which won elections in 1990 by a landslide but has never been allowed to govern. . In recent weeks, however, there have been signs of a thaw in the military government's stance toward the democratic opposition. . This month, the United Nations said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and senior government leaders had held secret meetings. . Last week, more than 80 members of the National League for Democracy, including the party's vice chairman, Tin Oo, were released from jail. . Editorials denouncing the party in the official media have also suddenly ceased. . Burma agreed to the visit of a European delegation last month during a meeting in Laos of EU and ASEAN ministers. It was the first ministerial-level meeting between the two groups since 1997. . Myanmar's official media have made no mention of the EU visit, but the event has become the talk of the town. Yangon residents heard of the trip from Burmese-language radio services from foreign broadcasters. The Nation. - January 31,
2001.
Burma hope BY VORAPUN SRIVORANART A EUROPEAN Union delegation visiting Burma has described political
development there following reconciliation talks between the junta and Aung San
Suu Kyi as "the most interesting since 1990".
However, the head of the delegation, Swedish envoy Borje Ljunggren,
cautioned that the situation remained delicate.
His delegation met with Suu Kyi for two hours and then with junta leaders.
He said the continuing reconciliation talks were still in the early stages and
that his team was limited in its access to information.
"It's the most interesting development in Burma since 1990. But the
situation is still fragile," he said.
The EU delegation will make an official announcement about its evaluation
of the visit in Brussels next week. The EU is also set to review a common
position on Burma soon.
The EU team, in Burma for four days, was happy to see Suu Kyi relaxed
during their two-hour meeting.
Bangkok Post - January 31,
2001.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS Surin urges official line with Burma 'Realistic policy' is best way forward Achara Ashayagachat Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan insisted formal dialogue was the best way
to deal with Burma but agreed personal connections might "open the door" to
warmer ties.
"We all have our own key to open the door and if it clicks it should be
transformed into the formal channel of communications so the key or connection
will not be exploited for individual or group benefits," he said.
"During the last three years, I've tried to minimise the use of personal
relations and formalise foreign affairs contacts as a permanent path."Mr Surin
could not explain Thai Rak Thai's confidence in its ability to solve fishing
disputes with Burma and was not aware of an agreement between the party and
Rangoon. He reminded the in-coming government dialogue with Burma over drugs and
border disputes were also important.
"It would certainly be a good thing if they succeeded in paving the way to
a breakthrough on the fishing problem," he said.
The Democrat-led government strived to sustain a "realistic policy" with
Burma, Mr Surin said.
"We have to look at the overall picture. The first two years [of bilateral
relations] seemed smooth but then there were several violent incidents.. which
caused relations to deteriorate in other aspects."He said the nation regained
the confidence of the international community and pointed out the importance of
transparency and mutual understanding among agencies involved in foreign
affairs. The minister also urged further support for the Team Thailand approach
to inter-agency work overseas.
"It should be worked out in a more efficient manner if human resources are
developed."
BBC - Wednesday, 31 January, 2001,
14:51 GMT
'Burmese refugees smuggling arms' By Zubair Ahmed in Dhaka Bangladesh has accused Burma's Rohingya refugees of smuggling arms and
drugs into their country.
Police say senior Rohingya militant leaders arrested in Bangladesh last
week had links with armed militant groups in several countries.
The bulk of the illegal trade in arms and drugs passes through Teknaf, a
busy town on the Bangla-Burma border, where most of an estimated 50,000 illegal
Rohingya immigrants live.
Police say members of the Rohingya community, on either side of the border,
are conduits for the supply of arms and drugs to militant groups in Bangladesh
and India.
Crackdown
The refugees, who live in two camps near Teknaf, are said to have links
with the Arakan Rohingya National Organisation, an alliance of separatist
militant groups campaigning for the Arakan region's independence from Burma.
Last week, police arrested the group's self-styled army chief, Salimullah,
along with two other alleged Rohingya militants.
Police say the arrests were proof that many other Arakan separatist
militants had operated from Bangladesh for years.
But the Rohingyas deny any links with militant organisations and complain
of constant police harassment.
A spokesman for the Burmese embassy in Dhaka declined to comment on the
arrests but said they were studying the situation.
South China Morning Post
Wednesday, January 31, 2001 BURMA - Military junta swayed by subtle art of persuasion ANALYSIS by WILLIAM BARNES in Bangkok Exactly what is happening in Rangoon is a matter of deep debate. Yet even veteran cynics now admit that some kind of Rubicon has been crossed. And for that, the international community can thank the softly softly diplomacy of the likes of Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and the continental Europeans, according to some diplomats in the Burmese capital. To the possible chagrin of Western countries such as the United States and
Britain, which along with Scandinavia have maintained a hard line against the
regime, the more sympathetic diplomatic approach appears to be working.
The European Union delegation that leaves Burma today met both sides in an
atmosphere of anticipation unparalleled for a decade. Until recently, it was
doubtful whether the delegation could even enter Burma, let alone engage in
extensive meetings around the capital.
"I would say it was 20 per cent international pressure and 80 per cent good
advice from friends that has got this going," one European diplomat in Rangoon
said.
The French, German and Italian representatives, among others, had argued
that little could be achieved by aggressively seeking to isolate the military
rulers and promote Aung San Suu Kyi's interests, he said.
"It's a fact the generals are not going to go away. You can't cause them to
lose face and still expect to be able to deal with them. They have to feel
comfortable about the process," he said.
The United Nations appears to have made ground by using a seasoned
diplomat, Razali Ismail, as its special envoy. The fact that Mr Razali comes
from Malaysia, a country with close and friendly links to the regime, is no
coincidence.
The more "aggressive" Western diplomats were unwilling to get into a debate
yesterday about the merits of either approach at this sensitive time.
Yet the breakthrough, such as it is, comes after unprecedented calls for
sanctions from the International Labour Organisation, an unusually critical
report from the World Bank and severe criticism in the United Nations.
"How can you say the softly softly approach did the trick when the SPDC
[State Peace and Development Committee, the junta] has been under such
pressure?" one English-speaking diplomat said. "We simply don't know what
prompted them [to meet Aung San Suu Kyi] - but they must have got the message
that their way was not working at any level.
"It is still very early days. I don't think there is any case to be made
out for suggesting that the regime should now be patted on the head and
forgiven."
Although there appears to be a rare international consensus over the need
to draw out a military establishment that has ruled since 1962, differences are
likely to emerge quite quickly over how much liberalisation should be expected.
"Right now everyone is happy if even Mahathir is claiming to be
influential, but the atmosphere will sour rapidly if this looks like a
window-dressing exercise," one Western observer said.
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