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Friday, April 14 10:03
AM SGT
British FM heads for India, Thailand and NepalLONDON, April 14 (AFP) -British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook leaves here Saturday for a week-long visit to India, Thailand and Nepal, with trade issues topping the agenda. First stop is New Delhi, where Cook will hold talks with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, his Indian counterpart Jaswant Singh and members of the political and business community. A Foreign Office spokesman said India was set to be a 21st-century power with global aspirations and with whom Britain had excellent bilateral relations. "We have shared democratic values and global vision," he said. Top of the agenda will be trade issues. Two-way trade is worth four billion pounds (6.3 billion dollars/6.4 billion euros) a year. Britain is India's second-largest market, while Britain is the biggest cumulative investor in India. The fight against global terrorism will also be discussed, while Cook is expected to press India on signing up to the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) after New Delhi conducted a series of nuclear tests in May 1998. Cook's visit follows talks with Singh in London in January during which Britain and India agreed to set up a "round table" forum for regular talks on bilateral issues, including trade links. Singh invited Cook to India to open the first meeting. In Thailand, from April 18 to 20, Cook will meet Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan. The Foreign Office said Cook would encourage Thai leaders to persist with economic reform as the best road to long-term economic growth. He will also discuss the political situation in neighbouring Myanmar and visit the Tham Hin refugee camp for thousands of mainly Karen refugees who have fled across the border. Britain is to donate education material for refugee children. Trade issues will also be on the agenda and Cook will open a Thai branch of the British supermarket chain Tesco, set to be the largest in the world. In Nepal he will meet King Birendra, newly-appointed Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and other political leaders. The Foreign Office said Cook would stress the need for Nepal to continue its trend of moving from an aid-dependent to a thriving, business-friendly nation. He will also discuss the country's Maoist insurgency with political leaders. The Maoists launched their "People's War" in February 1996. It has so far claimed more than 1,264 lives and left over 1,500 injured. In the first official visit to Nepal by a British Foreign Minister, Cook will also present a medal to Gurkha Second Warrant Officer Lalbahadur Sahi, who served with the British forces in Kosovo. The Financial Times 'Ethical' move on Burma
attacked Published: April 12 2000 19:20GMT | Last Updated: April 13 2000
20:49GMT Britain's leading employers' lobby on Wednesday criticised the
government's call for UK companies to pull out of Burma to increase pressure on
Rangoon's military regime.
"In the absence of clear legal sanctions from the UK or UN, it
should be left up to companies to make commercial decisions about where they do
business," said the Confederation of British Industry, attacking the latest
manifestation of the government's "ethical" foreign policy.
The Foreign Office, following the unprecedented step of asking
Premier Oil to abandon its involvement in Burma's Yetagun gas project, said it
hoped other companies would take note of the request.
Premier, the UK-quoted oil and exploration group, said
yesterday it had no plans to withdraw its 27 per cent interest in the scheme.
John Battle, a junior Foreign Office minister, said he was
"disappointed" by Premier's response because the government wanted "to see the
end of this regime" in Burma.
The Foreign Office said: "We would hope [other British
companies in Burma] take note of our request to Premier Oil. That remains the
case whether or not Premier Oil takes note of it."
Amnesty International said it was disappointed the government
was not prepared to take a similar tough approach to China and Saudi Arabia,
where the organisation has identified human rights abuses.
Britain is refusing to co-sponsor a motion of censure on
China's human rights records that will be tabled today by the US at the United
Nations in Geneva. Britain's position has been endorsed by the European Union.
A government official said Britain believed "constructive
engagement" with China on human rights was a better way forward, but
acknowledged the dialogue had "not made progress".
The US attacked the EU position, to deny visas and freeze the
assets of regime leaders and not to supply equipment that could be used for
repression.
Harold Kohl, assistant secretary of state with responsibility
for human rights, told the BBC: "If quiet dialogue is asuccessful alternative
then I would like to see the results of that."
Kyodo News
BRUSSELS, April 14
EU, Japan, ASEAN urged to put more pressure on
Myanmar junta
The head of a self-styled Myanmar government in
exile has urged the European Union (EU), Japan and Southeast Asian
countries to hold
talks with the country's military junta and put more pressure on it to stop ongoing repression. Sein Win, head of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), told Kyodo News on Thursday that the EU, Japan and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) should promote talks with both pro-democracy movement and the junta, which is called the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Bangkok Post - April 14,
2000.
Editorial Good neighbours help one another
Good neighbours make for good fences. That principle underlies Thai foreign
policy, particularly with regard to Burma. It is why Thailand braved an
international boycott of the Rangoon junta to champion "constructive engagement"
and finally brought Burma into Asean. But with billions of methamphetamine pills
pouring into Thailand from across the border in recent years, Burma's
credentials as a good fence are looking especially suspect.
The situation has reached the point where normally restrained Thai security
authorities-the military and the National Security Council-have accused Rangoon
of pursuing a "two-faced" policy in relation to Thailand. They also feel it may
have been a mistake to admit Burma into Asean and have called for a change in
Thai policy.
A decade ago methamphetamines were used almost exclusively by truck drivers
to stay awake on long hauls. Today they have found their way into our schools
and an alarming number of Thai children and youths have become hooked.
Methamphetamine cases have jumped from 1.8% to 67.3% of drug-related court cases
in 10 years. This year, it is estimated that 600 million speed pills, produced
in 55 border factories each capable of churning out a million pills monthly,
will flood Thailand.
No matter how hard Thailand works to suppress the drug inside our borders,
the effort is doomed to failure. As the military and the NSC point out, the root
of the problem lies on the other side of the border. The bulk of the
methamphetamines sold in Thailand are made by the United Wa State Army which
dominates areas opposite our northern provinces. The UWSA is the largest
producer of both heroin and methamphetamines but enjoys an especially cordial
relationship with the Burmese junta. Late last year, the first-secretary of the
State Peace and Development Council even visited Mong Yawn, the Wa stronghold in
Shan State.
The Burmese junta says it can do nothing to help Thailand suppress drug
trafficking since the area is not under its control. The Wa are former
insurgents who made peace with the junta in 1989 in an agreement that allows
them to retain their weapons and exercise control over large areas bordering
Thailand and China. This, compounded by other border problems such as refugees,
cross border shelling, troop incursions and the unilateral closure of the border
by Burma, has convinced the Thai military the SPDC is out to destabilise
Thailand. It also suspects the junta is reluctant to crack down on the Wa
because it is paid drug money. And with international trade sanctions,
supporting the illegal drug exports earns Rangoon much needed revenue.
In its defence, the junta points to its crop substitution and drug
suppression co-operation with Thailand and other countries. It points to a
significant drop in poppy acreage last year. The junta says it is committed to
eradicating drugs from Burma within 15 years, with the biggest areas being taken
out of production by 2005. However, its efforts do not bear out this promise.
The drop in acreage last year was largely due to bad weather. More importantly,
the decline in poppy cultivation is more than made up by methamphetamine
production. And the Burmese government has yet to do anything about that.
Thailand cannot wait 15 years until Burma removes all sources of drug
production. In the meantime, as a good neighbour, Burma must help Thailand in
its efforts to stop the drug production, especially of methamphetamines-the
number one drug threat to Thai society. Failing to do so will have dire
consequences for both countries. The Thai military is even pondering unilateral
military options to eliminate the drug threat. Hopefully it will not come to
that but the fact that the option exists at all says a lot about how dangerous
it could be if neighbours do not choose to act as good fences for one
another.
Bangkok Post - April 14, 2000.
Karen held after junta seizes base Tak Two Karen National Union rebels were arrested yesterday when fleeing across
the border after their base was overrun by Burmese troops.
The Karen were disarmed by police and handed to the Fourth Infantry
Regiment Task Force in Mae Sot.
At dawn, about 200 Burmese troops attacked a base which is under KNU's
Sixth Division opposite Ban Tha Lor, tambon Mae Ramat.
Karen fighters led by Lt-Gen Htay Maung fought back but were overpowered
and forced to abandon the base, sources said. During the fighting, three mortar
rounds fell on Thai soil but did not explode.
The fighting prompted border patrol police to step up security near the
Moei River to prevent intrusions.
Col Chainarong Tahnaroon, the task force chief, later beefed up security by
sending troops and heavy weapons to the areas opposite the battle zone.
According to border sources, KNU rebels were expected to attempt to regain
the base.
- Authorities in Mae Hong Son have been told to keep a close watch on the
movement of Burmese students in four refugee camps ahead of the annual meeting
of the Asian Development Bank.
Security would be tightened at four refugee camps in Muang, Khun Yuam, Mae
Sariang and Sob Moei districts to prevent protests during the meeting in Chiang
Mai. The camps shelter about 34,000 Burmese and Karen refugees.
Bangkok psot - April 14, 2000.
MILITARY
War games to be held near Burmese
border
Gunners and cavalry - nits to take part Armoured infantry and artillery units will take part in the military's
first joint exercise in Mae Sot district, Tak, near the sensitive Burmese
border, later this month.
The exercise, from April 23-27, will involve the 2nd Cavalry Division from
Bangkok, the Artillery Battalion from Lop Buri, and the 4th Infantry Division
based in Tak, an army source said.
"If the situation along the border becomes tense, troops from Bangkok and
Lop Buri have to act as back-up. So training is needed to ensure they are
prepared," the source said.
The media would not be allowed to observe the exercise because the area was
sensitive. Border disputes and incursions are common in the district.
A source in the Supreme Command said yesterday next year's Thai-US joint
military exercise would be held in the Third Army Region, which includes the
northern border.
This year's exercise will be held in the southern provinces next
month.
- The army will consider amending a conscription law and ministerial
regulation to enable tribespeople, including Sagai nomads, to join up.
Maj-Gen Saksin Thipayakesorn, chief of the Army's Reserve Affairs
Department, said the planned amendments would allow tribesmen from all ethnic
minority groups living in the country to enlist.
The 45th ministerial regulation, which was jointly drafted by the Defence
Ministry and the Interior Ministry and Article 13 in the 1954 Conscription Act
prohibit tribespeople living in 500 villages in 26 border provinces of Thailand
from entering military service.
He said the Secretariat Department has been assigned to study the planned
amendments of the two laws and forward them to the defence minister for
consideration |