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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BURMA RELATED NEWS - February - 01, 2001. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HEADLINE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFP - EU team says Myanmar talks most
significant development in a decade
AFP - Aung San Suu Kyi optimistic over
talks with junta: source
AFP - EU ministers to discuss "promising"
developments in Myanmar
Bkk Post - Shan flee Burma as junta moves
Wa on to their land
Bkk Post - Reconciliation talks in a fragile state, says EU team Thursday, February 1 1:25 AM SGT
EU team says Myanmar talks most significant development in a decade BANGKOK, Jan 31 (AFP) - Talks
between opposition leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi and the junta are the most
significant development in Myanmar for a decade, a European delegation said
Wednesday after a three-day mission to Yangon.
The five-member European Union team said signs of a thaw in the
military-run country were "promising but yet not irreversible".
"We had the impression that the contacts were the most interesting thing to
happen since (elections in) 1990," said Borje Ljunggren, representing the EU
presidency.
The EU team met with Aung San Suu Kyi for more than two hours Tuesday at
her home where she has been confined by the military regime since September
22.
It also held talks with the junta's number-three Lieutenant-General Khin
Nyunt who has met with the opposition leader at least twice over the last few
months.
Ljunggren, the head of the Asia Department in Sweden's Foreign Affairs
ministry, told reporters at Bangkok airport that Aung San Suu Kyi was "in a very
good mood and well in all respects".
He confirmed that the Nobel peace laureate was "cautiously optimistic"
about the developments and hopeful they would lead to a more substantial
dialogue.
However, both sides maintained strict confidentiality on the content of the
talks. "We respect their decision," he said.
Ljunggren said the team made its three-day visit to Yangon at "an
interesting but delicate moment."
After extensive meetings with government ministers, opposition National
League for Democracy leaders and ethnic minority groups, they formed a positive
view about the future of the process.
"The discussions were frank but held in a good atmosphere, helped by recent
developments," he said, referring to the release of dozens of political
prisoners last week.
"Both sides seem to want to pursue them ... but you need something more
substantial to consider them irreversible," he said, adding that the contacts
were "still at an early stage".
"We expressed the hope the contacts would develop further, broadening and
deepening so as to promote national reconciliation, democracy and human rights,"
he said.
The delegation will now report back to the EU, which by the end of April
will carry out its regular review of sanctions against Myanmar.
Aung San Suu Kyi's meeting with the European officials 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 held secret talks
with Khin Nyunt and that the opposition and the junta were edging towards their
first dialogue since 1994.
A diplomatic source in the Myanmar capital Yangon said Wednesday that Khin
Nyunt briefed the EU officials on the military's recent efforts to bolster trust
and confidence between the two sides.
More concessions were in the offing after the release last week of dozens
of opposition prisoners including National League for Democracy (NLD)
vice-chairman Tin Oo, the general told the team.
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, the diplomat said.
Sources in Yangon said while the content of the visiting officials' talks
was limited, the fact they enjoyed such free access to both sides on Myanmar's
political divide was extremely significant.
"Having these discussions is already a huge thing because these sorts of
meetings were completely blocked only two years ago," one diplomat said.
Although progress towards a dialogue has been surprisingly fast, most
commentators believe any major developments, like a decision to hold fresh
elections, will be years in the making.
The phrase "cautious optimism" is frequently used by those involved with
the talks, who are excited about the process but acutely aware that the junta
holds all the cards and will be loath to relinquish its grip on power.
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.
Thursday, February 1 6:29 PM SGT
EU ministers to discuss "promising" developments in Myanmar BANGKOK, Feb 1 (AFP) - European
Union foreign ministers will decide what action should be taken over a
delegation's findings that recent developments in Myanmar are the most
significant in a decade, officials said Thursday.
A European Union (EU) delegation Wednesday completed a three-day mission to
Yangon to investigate a thaw between the military regime and opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi.
Initial contacts between the two sides which could herald their first
official dialogue since 1994 were "promising but yet not irreversible," the
five-member team said on their arrival in Bangkok.
"We had the impression that the contacts were the most interesting thing to
happen since (elections in) 1990," said Borje Ljunggren, representing the EU
presidency.
An EU council will now discuss their report and recommend what issues
should be taken up at the ministerial level, a spokesman for the European
Commission in the Thai capital said.
The foreign ministers will meet to discuss the developments before April,
when the EU makes its regular review of sanctions against Myanmar.
"They will decide what will come next and whether any action will be
taken," the spokesman said.
The five-member EU delegation met with Aung San Suu Kyi for more than two
hours Tuesday at her home where she has been confined by the military regime
since September 22.
It also held talks with the junta's number-three Lieutenant-General Khin
Nyunt who has met with the opposition leader at least twice over the last few
months.
Ljunggren, the head of the Asia Department in Sweden's Foreign Affairs
ministry, told reporters that Aung San Suu Kyi was "in a very good mood and well
in all respects".
He confirmed that the Nobel peace laureate was "cautiously optimistic"
about the developments and hopeful they would lead to a more substantial
dialogue.
However, both sides maintained strict confidentiality on the content of the
talks. "We respect their decision," he said.
Ljunggren said the team visited Yangon at "an interesting but delicate
moment."
After extensive meetings with government ministers, opposition National
League for Democracy leaders and ethnic minority groups, they formed a positive
view about the future of the process.
"The discussions were frank but held in a good atmosphere, helped by recent
developments," he said, referring to the release of dozens of political
prisoners last week.
"Both sides seem to want to pursue them ... but you need something more
substantial to consider them irreversible," he said, adding that the contacts
were "still at an early stage".
Aung San Suu Kyi's meeting with the European officials was her first
confirmed contact with foreign diplomats since UN envoy Razali Ismail visited
her twice earlier this month.
Bangkok Post - February 01,
2001.
Shan flee Burma as junta moves Wa on to their land 300,000 refugees, more on the way Subin Khuenkaew More than 300,000 Shan people have fled across the border to Thailand
because the Burmese government is moving Wa people on to their land.
About 120,000 more are expected to arrive this year.
For a year the Burmese junta has been relocating Wa people from the north,
bordering China, to Mong Hsat opposite Fang and Mae Ai districts of Chiang
Mai.
The forced movement is under a policy claimed to be aimed at suppressing
opium production.
The relocation has affected Shan people who live in Mong Hsat and adjacent
areas, opposite Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son.
As a direct result, more than 300,000 Shan had moved to Thailand to avoid
confrontation with Wa people, said a Shan source.
About 120,000 Shan people who still live opposite the three Thai northern
provinces Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son provinces were likely to
follow.
"No Thai authorities are taking care of these refugees, but the number
keeps growing as in many villages their homes are being taken over by Wa," the
source said.
"Thai authorities still refuse to admit the truth."The extent of the
migration had been confirmed when about 300,000 Shan people applied for work on
job-creation projects the government funded recently through the Miyazawa loan,
he said.
The relocation of Wa people was continuing. About 400 troops of the United
Wa State Army had moved at least 25,000 of their people on about 100 trucks to
Mongton, opposite Fang district, last month.
The arrival of more Shan people has affected Thai locals, especially in Ban
Ai village of tambon Si Dong Yen, Chai Prakan district, Chiang Mai. At least 500
villagers there have rallied to pressure the local authority to expel all Shan
refugees from their village.
The protest followed the murder of Buakaew Sinthupat, 62, who was
reportedly robbed and killed by a Shan employee last month.
Chamnan Khatkaew, district chief of Chai Prakan, said local people were
angered by the killing, but he could not push for the repatriation programme
because of a grace period for foreign workers there.
Shan people generally work as farm labourers in the northern
provinces.
Bangkok Post - February 01,
2001.
Reconciliation talks in a fragile state, says EU
team
Aung San Suu Kyi in good spirits, though Achara Ashyagachat
A European Union delegation concluded a mission to Burma optimistic about
the prospects for national reconciliation but stressed that the process is at a
fragile state.
Borje Ljunggren, the senior Swedish official who headed the delegation,
said: "The dialogue between the SPDC and Aung San Suu Kyi is still at a fragile
state. They have approached the dialogue with a lack of mutual understanding and
therefore confidence building is the key word."Mr Ljunggren, head of the Swedish
Foreign Ministry's Asia and Pacific Department, was accompanied by counterparts
from Belgium, the EU Council and the European Commission.
The EU delegates were expected to assess the state of relations between the
ruling State Peace and Development Council and its pro-democratic opposition led
by Aung San Suu Kyi since the dialogue resumed in October.
Razali Ismail, the United Nations special envoy on Burma, broke the news
about the dialogue last month.
Mr Ljunggren said that because of the fragile nature of the dialogue many
things were kept confidential between the two parties and his delegation had
limited information about their talks.
"The talk is still at an early stage and has not gone as far as a
discussion about an election," he said.
However, he said his overall impression after a two-hour talk with Mrs Suu
Kyi was optimistic. "She was in a good mood," Mr Ljunggren said.
- The Karen National Union hopes for positive developments from the EU
visit, said Gen Bo Mya, the group's military leader. Speaking while celebrating
the 52nd Revolutionary Day in an area under the Sixth Division opposite Tak, Gen
Bo Mya said the KNU's door was always open for talks with the junta but without
conditions.
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