Burma Related News- Feb 19, 2000.

Burma's Southwestern Command supremo, Major-General Myint Aung, attended an opening dinner on Thursday night ahead of the formal opening next week, a Thai business source said yesterday.

Thailand's national security chief has said Bangkok authorities would try to dissuade Thais - the casino's main target - from crossing the border to gamble.

The casino is jointly owned by Taiwanese and Burmese investors - including one from the Wa ethnic minority - said the source.

The Wa are heavily involved in drug production and trafficking in Burma's Shan state.

Malaysia's Foreign Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, back from a visit to Burma, said his country might develop an oil palm plantation there as well as other investments. He said the junta's politics was not Malaysia's concern.

Malaysian rights group Suaram said Kuala Lumpur was the junta's strongest regional backer and was making a "huge mistake" in not linking human rights to investment.

A day after sending its highest-ranking official in five years to Burma, the United States said yesterday it would maintain sanctions against Rangoon unless the military regime improved human rights and moved towards democracy.

Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi - who was among those who met Ralph Boyce, deputy US assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs on Thursday - said yesterday she believed 90 per cent of the population still wanted democracy.

Yet, a decade after her party beat the ruling military regime at the polls, only to be barred from power, most people were too afraid of the military to fight for freedom, Ms Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, told the Cambodia Daily.

Cambodia's Hun Sen Begins Official Visit To Myanmar

YANGON, Myanmar (AP)--Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was welcomed Saturday to Myanmar with a 19-gun salute and hundreds of flag-waving schoolchildren.

Hun Sen is making his first visit to the military state since Cambodia joined Myanmar as a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a regional economic group, last year.

Arriving from a visit to India, Hun Sen was greeted by the chairman of Myanmar's ruling military council, Than Shwe. At Yangon airport, the children chanted "Long live Prime Minister Hun Sen and his wife" as he alighted from the plane.

Hun Sen last visited Myanmar, also known as Burma, as co-premier of Cambodia months before he seized complete control of the country in a coup against his royalist rival, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, in July 1997.

The coup effectively put Cambodia's accession into ASEAN on hold, while Laos and Myanmar were welcomed as full members weeks later, despite international criticism of Myanmar.

Myanmar has been ruled by a military regime that ignored defeat by its pro-democracy opposition led by Aung San Suu Kyi in general elections in 1990.

Cambodia only became a full ASEAN member in 1999. By that time Hun Sen had ended 20 years of civil war with the Khmer Rouge and become the dominant partner in a coalition with Ranarridh's party.

Hun Sen, who is traveling with a 32-member delegation including his ministers of foreign affairs, commerce, industry and tourism, is set to meet with Than Shwe later Saturday.

They will witness the signing of an agreement on visa exemptions for diplomats and government officials between the two countries.

On Sunday, Hun Sen and his wife Bun Rany are set to pay respects at Yangon's towering Shwedagon Pagoda, a famous Buddhist shrine, and visit Ngapali beach in western Myanmar, before departing on Monday.

During his two-day visit to India, Hun Sen sought assistance in developing agriculture in Cambodia. The two countries also signed an agreement setting up a joint commission on trade, science and technological cooperation.

US Says It Will Maintain Sanctions Against Myanmar

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP)--A day after sending its highest-ranking official in five years to Myanmar, the U.S. announced Friday it will maintain sanctions unless that country's military regime improves human rights and moves toward democracy.

Ralph Boyce, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, met with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's deputy foreign minister Khin Maung Win, and foreign aid workers on a one-day visit Thursday.

"Until we see movement towards democracy, respect for human rights, and cooperation on counter-narcotics efforts, the United States will continue to apply broad sanctions against Burma," said a statement from the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.

It urged the Myanmar regime to enter into a "meaningful dialogue" with its democratic opposition and ethnic minority groups.

The Myanmar military has ruled the country since 1962 and refused to hand over power to Suu Kyi after her party swept general elections held in 1990. Hundreds of her supporters and opponents of the regime have since been jailed.

Boyce had a "blunt" exchange of views with deputy minister Khin Maung Win and the visit wasn't thought to mark any change in Washington's stance on Myanmar, which is also known as Burma, a western diplomat in Bangkok said.

Since 1997, the U.S. has banned new investment by American companies in Myanmar. It also bars top members of the Myanmar government from receiving visas to visit the U.S. Yangon has a similar policy against the U.S.

Foreign donors, including Washington, heavily restricted foreign aid to Myanmar, one of the world's poorest countries, since a 1988 crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in which thousands of protesters were gunned down by the military.

However, the U.S. does cooperate on a limited basis with the regime on counter-narcotics efforts in Myanmar, the world's second-largest producer of opium, from which heroin is derived. The top producer is Afghanistan.

U.S. Official Visits Myanmar

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - The United States will maintain sanctions against Myanmar until the military regime improves human rights and moves towards democracy, U.S. officials said Friday.

The announcement came a day after the highest-level U.S. visit to Myanmar - formerly known as Burma - in five years. Ralph Boyce, deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, met with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar deputy foreign minister Khin Maung Win and foreign aid workers on a one-day visit to Yangon, the Myanmar capital.

``Until we see movement towards democracy, respect for human rights, and cooperation on counternarcotics efforts, the United States will continue to apply broad sanctions against Burma,'' a statement from the U.S. embassy in Bangkok said. It urged the regime to enter into a ``meaningful dialogue'' with its democratic opposition and ethnic minority groups.

The Myanmar military has ruled the country since 1962 and refused to hand over power to Suu Kyi after her party swept general elections in 1990. Hundreds of her supporters and opponents of the regime have since been jailed.

Foreign donors including the United States have heavily restricted foreign aid to Myanmar, one of the world's poorest countries, since a 1988 crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in which thousands of protesters were gunned down by the military.

Since 1997, the U.S. government has banned new investment by American companies in Myanmar. It also bars top members of the Myanmar government from receiving visas to visit the United States. Yangon has an equivalent policy against the United States.

Thailand To Release 6 Myanmar Soldiers Who Crossed Border

BANGKOK (AP)--Thailand will release six Myanmar soldiers detained by the Thai army for crossing the tense frontier into a northern border town several weeks ago, a defense ministry spokesman said Friday.

"We have good military-to-military relations with Myanmar. The soldiers will be released within a few days and there will be no charges against them," said Lt. Gen. Sanan Kajornklam.

The soldiers were seized by Thai troops along with two rifles and some ammunition after entering Thailand near the border town of Mae Hong Son, 650 kilometers north of Bangkok, on Feb. 3. They told Thai authorities they were only looking for food.

"They have been detained for interrogation and it is almost complete. As soldiers, they have been treated well," said the spokesman.

Sanan declined comment on reports that the six soldiers planned to abduct leaders of Myanmar's ethnic Karen minority from the nearby Ban Nai Soi refugee camp.

The arrest of the soldiers heightened tensions along the frontier, with Myanmar dispatching reinforcements to the border area opposite Mae Hong Son Province.

The government of Myanmar, also known as Burma, is fighting remnants of ethnic minority rebel groups along the Thai border with Thai troops sometimes becoming embroiled.

AFP Asia pacific news summary, Saturday, Feb 19

TAIPEI: Campaigning for Taiwan's presidential polls officially kicked off, with rallies across the island marked by drum beats, firecrakers, and handshakes.

BANGKOK: A major UN trade conference will pledge to offer developing states a bigger share of the global economy but a muted closing text will fail to offer them better access to lucrative markets.

KARACHI: An army officer told an anti terrorist court that official investigations had delayed the laying of formal charges against ousted premier Nawaz Sharif by 28 days.

YANGON: Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen was warmly welcomed to Myanmar at the start of his first official visit since both countries joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

COTABATO, Philippines: Guns fell silent in two southern Philippine provines where three days of fierce fighting between Muslim separatists and government troops left 23 guerrillas and two soldiers dead, the military said.

DHARAMSALA, India: The Karmapa Lama, one of the main spiritual figures of Tibetan Buddhism who escaped to India last month, led a ceremony marking the 60th year of the Dalai Lama's enthronement.

SEOUL: North Korea's reclusive leader Kim Jong-Il is believed to control at least two billion dollars in slush funds, a news agency report said here.

KATHMANDU: Nepal celebrated its 50th National Democracy Day with strong campaigns against Maoist insurgents across the country, officials said.

IN A clear message to would-be Thai gamblers en-route to a new casino in the Burmese town of Myawdi, the Tak provincial governor instructed border officials to adhere strictly to set protocol when monitoring crossings.

He referred directly to the Mae Sot-Myawdi border checkpoint, just 500 metres from a new casino on Burma's side of the bridge.

The new entertainment complex, called Myawadi Riverside Resort, opened yesterday. The Bt2 billion complex, consisting of a casino, hotel, restaurants, shopping plaza and golf courses, has been funded by Taiwanese and Thai businessmen.

Gambling is illegal in Thailand and the new complex is expected to be a draw for the country's gamblers.

But Tak Governor Nirat Watchanaphum said government officials did not want Thais gambling in the complex. His officials, therefore, would not facilitate the border crossing of tourists who wanted to visit the complex.

The Mae Sot-Myawdi border checkpoint would be opened for crossing during government office hours only - 8.30 am to 4.30 pm, said Nirat.

Yesterday's opening ceremony at the complex was presided over by Gen Mi Aung, commander of Burma's Southeastern Region Army. About 200 Thai and Taiwanese tourists crossed the border to visit the resort.

Panithi Tangphati, Tak Chamber of Commerce chairman, said his organisation was concerned the casino might prompt an increase in crime in the province.

The Bangkok declaration, one of the two texts agreed, said that globalisation also presented opportunities, had increased prosperity and offered potential for countries to benefit.

But, the declaration said, there were risks and challenges and that globalisation could marginalise countries and the most vulnerable groups.

"For the international community, just as for each and every national society, the ultimate test lies in the way it treats the weaker members of the community," it said.

The accompanying plan of action was intended to make globalisation an effective instrument for the development of all countries and all people.

Many of the key points in the plan are in effect calls for action in other institutions, notably the World Trade Organisation.

The plan noted, for example, that payments to farmers in some countries - a reference primarily to the European Union's subsidies - can have distorting effects on developing countries.

Those poorer nations also face barriers to exporting their goods to the developed world and have difficulty implementing existing WTO agreements.

Some of these issues contributed to the failure of the WTO's meeting in Seattle last year, which was riven by conflicts between rich and poor countries over free trade.

The organisers of the Bangkok conference said the past week has helped to restore a more amicable atmosphere.

'Healing process'

UNCTAD's Secretary General Rubens Ricupero said the talks had brought rich and poor nations closer together.

"This was a healing process after the events in Seattle," he said.

Mr Ricupero, a former Brazilian finance minister, also said a "Bangkok spirit" had emerged from the past week's exchanges.

He spoke of a convergence of view, about the case for freer trade, the promotion of the private sector and the control of inflation.

But equally, he argued, there had been a convergence towards the idea that capitalism had key unsolved problems

UNCTAD under fire

The declaration and action plan do not break the Seattle deadlock and the underlying issues remain as contentious as ever.

Demonstrators claim the conference has done little to address the real concerns of the world's poorer nations.

Thai activist Veerapol Sopha from the Forum of the Poor group said: "UNCTAD has only created legitimacy for powerful countries and trans-national corporations to take advantage of the people."

Martin Khor of the Malaysia-based Third World Network said delegates had failed to tackle the real causes of poverty.

"They have treated the issue like a football, kicking it around between themselves but never going for goal," he said.