BBC World Service, Talking
Point, Thursday, 12 December, 2002
Aung San Suu Kyi
Transcript:
Lyse Doucet:
Welcome to Talking Point with me Lyse
Doucet. This week as part of our special series of
programmes marking the 70th birthday of the BBC World Service, we're speaking
with Aung San Suu Kyi,
Around the world, Aung San Suu Kyi is recognised, not just as a symbol of
Since she returned home to
But political change in
Aung San Suu Kyi has made big personal sacrifices, separated for years from
her two children and her late husband. Aung San Suu Kyi welcome to Talking
Point. There was much talk when you were released that there had been secret
talks with the military government. Do you feel that you and your National
League for Democracy are now making some progress?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
First of all I would not like to think of them as secret talks. We started to talking to each other - let's put it that way. We think that
we have made some progress but there's still a very, very long way to go.
Lyse Doucet:
Can you give us an indication of what kind of progress since you've been
released from house arrest?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I suppose one of the most important things that has been achieved is that a
number of political prisoners have been released. But there are hundreds still
imprisoned for their beliefs - prisoners of conscience. Until all of them of
released, I don't think we can say that we have made sufficient progress.
The other direction in which we have progressed is with the reopening of our
party offices across the country.
Lyse Doucet:
We've received many, many callers and many e-mailers - people who want to ask
you questions from around the world.
We're going to take our first caller now - Tin Htun,
is on the line from
Tin Htun:
My question first of all on behalf of the Burmese community and myself, we pray
for long life for Aung Sang Suu Kyi and we pray for your continued struggle and
your sacrifice for the Burmese people. My question is how long will we have to
continue as exiles abroad?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
First of all thank you very much for your support. We do not want you to live
as exiles abroad for one day more than necessary. But I think you have to
understand that in politics, we can't say exactly when we will achieve our
goal. The important thing is that we should be unwavering in our efforts,
however long it takes us and however hard the road, we must be prepared to go
all the way because what we are doing is not just for ourselves but for the
future generations of
Tin Htun:
We celebrate our independence day, our national day, our new year's day and all
our festival days together in our country with family members, friends and
elderly members too.
Aung San Suu Kyi:
Well please go on gathering together and please be united in your efforts.
Please don't bicker among each other - that's very important.
Tin Htun:
In the past two years, when the UN Secretary-General, Kofi
Annan's special envoy for
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I don't think one should always talk about hope, one should talk about work. I
don't believe that one should talk about hope unless one is working towards
something. We only have the right to hope if we are struggling. The important
thing is to concentrate on what we can do, not to concentrate on the hopes.
If we do everything that we ought we ought to do, everything that we can do
- we will realise our hopes in time.
Lyse Doucet:
We'll take a caller now from
Si Thu:
In your opinion, how have the sanctions affected the people and consequently
the nation? Do you think that the plight of the original people has been
forgotten in the struggle for democracy?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
When you talk about sanctions, you have to be aware of the fact that the
sanctions are very limited. They were imposed by the United States Government
and only on future investments. American businesses which had been in
Lyse Doucet:
Si Thu, anything else you would like to add to that?
Si Thu:
Now the military government has conceded, do you think it's time to lift the
sanctions?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I think it is for the people of the
Lyse Doucet:
But Aung San Suu Kyi, do you believe there should be stronger sanctions? A
number of e-mails have asked about this.
We heard from Steed in
You mentioned they were very limited. Should they be wider?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
We have said officially that our policies with regard to sanctions will not
change until such time as political dialogue is in place. So our policy remains
the same. At the time when the sanctions were imposed, we supported the
sanctions. We have not asked for further sanctions but neither have we
withdrawn our support for sanctions because there is not yet political dialogue
in place.
Lyse Doucet:
But do you think those sanctions should be tougher and they should make a
bigger difference?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I don't think it is sanctions alone which will make the difference, it is many
things that will make a difference, including the efforts of the people of
Lyse Doucet:
We're going to take a call from Chris Henny,
Chris Henny:
Thank you very much for doing me the honour of taking my question. I have great
admiration for your peaceful political stance and fortitude.
My question is this: How long do you think it will be before the military
government puts themselves firmly under civilian rule without stacking the deck
in a general assembly or something like that, with reserved seats?
Secondly, as a business person, I have enormous respect for your position and
have neither visited nor intend to invest in
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I'm afraid we can't indulge in speculation as to how long the whole process
will take. I hope very much that as soon as possible we will be moving towards
positive change and that we will reach a point when people like you, with
goodwill towards
When the situation is going to be right is not a question that I can answer
now. I don't think it will take too long, for the simple reason,
that the people of
Lyse Doucet:
Chris Henny, do you think it's taking impossibly
long?
Chris Henny:
I think it's a shame that it has taken so long for the people who are currently
governing the country to realise that there is a lot
of goodwill out there and that we would dearly love to do so. But only under
conditions where investment is possible and where a government is considered
stable and reliable and one can't easily take that position today.
Aung San Suu Kyi:
We agree with you that it is important for the political and economic climate -
for both to be right and we are trying to move towards that point as soon as
possible. I hope you will not be discouraged.
Chris Henny:
I certainly won't and I will certainly be watching everything that is done
there and what you are asking.
Aung San Suu Kyi:
We'll try our best to make things go as quickly as possible.
Lyse Doucet:
I have to say, Aung San Suu Kyi, a number of our e-mails raise this issue about
how long it will take. But it must seem very long for you indeed.
Chaw Su lwinn,
Gaytri,
Aung San Suu Kyi:
We have changed our tactics from time to time. We have always said that if one
road is closed to us then we'll take another. The progress is slow for all of
us who want progress to come quickly. But on the other hand, if you consider
the fact that we have been struggling for 14 years and you think of countries
like
We are not at all discouraged. We would like change to come as quickly as
possible but we are determined to go on struggling until change comes and we
are confident that change will come - not as quickly as most of us would wish
it to come - but it will come. And I think the more we all try to make change
come instead of wondering when change will come, the quicker it will come.
Lyse Doucet:
Many of callers and e-mails have asked you very specific questions about what
they can do.
Let's take another call, Barrie Boulton
is on the line from The Netherlands.
It's my very great pleasure to have this opportunity to talk with you Aung San.
My question is this - it relates very much to what other people have been
asking about the many thousands of people out there who want to know whether
the time is right to visit
Do you recognise the role foreign travellers to
your country can play by providing your people with an invaluable source of
information that they would otherwise be denied? Or do you continue to maintain
your view that foreign visitors to your country will be supporting, directly or
indirectly, the military regime and therefore should be discouraged from coming
at this time?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
Well let me separate your question into two parts. With regard to the NLD stand
on tourism - we have not changed. As I said earlier, we are not going to change
on matters on policy until such a time as political dialogue is in place.
But the other part of the question, as to whether foreign travellers bring valuable information to the people of
If they are really intent on getting information about what is going on in
the world and what is going on with regard to
Lyse Doucet:
Let me just come in here to give you some of the other messages we've received
from people making points very similar to Barrie Boulton.
Jeremy Green,
A similar question comes from Malcolm Higgins,
Aung San Suu Kyi:
As I said, our policy with regard to tourism has not changed which is say that
we have not yet come to the point where we encourage people to come to
Lyse Doucet:
You don't believe that by people visiting - taking home their reflections,
talking about
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I think it depends on how aware the visitors are. I think many visitors come
here but are not aware of the political situation. They come here for a good
holiday, they have a good time, they're interested in the unusual aspects of
the country and then they go back. But I don't think they carry any very, very
deep impressions of the political and social situation.
So I don't think one can say that tourists come here and spread the word
that change is necessary in
Lyse Doucet:
An e-mail now from Neil Roberts,
Aung San Suu Kyi:
With regard to the teaching job - I wonder where? I suppose in one of the
private schools. I have to say that the Burmese education system is not all
that could be desired. It is one of things that worry me most that the young
people of
Large numbers of our young people are extremely frustrated because they realise that they're not getting a good education. If he is
coming here to take up a teaching job, I suppose he is going to be teaching in
one of the private schools which cater to the privileged.
Lyse Doucet:
Now you yourself have been travelling recently, Aung
San Suu Kyi, through the Shan states and so many people can't see for
themselves. What were your reflections on visiting these areas?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
One of the happiest experiences of my visit to the Shan states was the realisation that there is tremendous solidarity there. That
although there's many, many different ethnic groups in
Lyse Doucet:
Let's take another caller now, David Phillip Kramer is
on the line from
David Kramer:
I would like to ask Aung San Suu Kyi, what would she want in particular from
the people of
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I am very wary of giving people advice. But I would like to remind the people
of
I sometimes think that when change comes to a country like
Lyse Doucet:
David Kramer, what's your feeling in
David Kramer:
I would agree with her. I think the government have
largely ignored its moral position and I echo her sentiments.
Lyse Doucet:
We're going to take a call now from
Liz Mulqueen:
Aung San Suu Kyi, it's an honour and a privilege to talk with you today and
before asking my question, I would like to wish you all the very best in your
continued struggle to restore democracy in
My question to you: Mr Razali has visited
More recently there was a visit to
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I have full confidence in Mr Razali's integrity. I do
not think he is a puppet of Dr Mahathir. I think he has acted in good faith and
I think he himself has been disappointed in the slowness of the rate of change
in
I do not think it that it is fair on Mr Razali to
make it appear as though he has achieved nothing. He has contributed towards
better understanding between the SPDC and ourselves.
But of course in the end it's is for us - we the people of Burma - to sort out
our own problems and somebody like Mr Razali, with
all the goodwill in the world can only help us so far as we are prepared to
accept his help.
Liz Mulqueen:
I posed the question really because I do not know very much about Mr Razali although having lived in
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I have to say that I look upon Mr Razali as a good
friend of
Lyse Doucet:
But as a good friend of
Aung San Suu Kyi:
It's in the nature of the process. I believe that he is doing his best and that
he would like to do as much as possible for us, if only he knew how. I think
we're all trying to find out how we can speed up the process of change.
Lyse Doucet:
Many have asked what is actually happening beneath the surface.
We've had an e-mail from Aditya Sharma,
Aung San Suu Kyi:
This is to do with ways and means - do the means justify the ends or do the
ends justify the means. I do not think that the end justifies the means. I
think the means have to be right as well. Because if you choose the kind of
methods that will eventually distort your goal, then you will have wasted all
your efforts. I think it is better to take a little bit more time to make a
little bit more effort - perhaps sometimes more than just a little bit - in
order to achieve your goal in the way in which it should be achieved, that the
benefits you reap might be long-term in nature.
It is possible for you to achieve your goal fast by using all kinds of ways
that might be open to you. But then this could mean that in the end you distort
the goals themselves and when you have reached where you think you wanted to
get to, you find that it's a completely different scenario from what you had
imagined because along the way you have created the kind of process that is
bound to corrupt the ends themselves.
Lyse Doucet:
We'll take another caller now. On the line from
Tu Yain:
If you become the leader of
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I agree with you about the importance of education and I don't think we should
wait for the time when I become leader of
I'm very concerned that something should be done for the young people of
Lyse Doucet:
We've received a number of very specific e-mails talking about the political
process. David,
Aung San Suu Kyi:
Well if you ask me what sort of time frame do I think it should take then it
should be as quickly as possible. But we have to be realistic - certainly
change is not going come within days and I don't think it's going to come
within weeks either. But I think we could always work hard to try to make the
change come within months. I don't think that is an
impossibility.
As for a roadmap, this is something on which the SPDC and the democratic
forces must agree. This is why I don't want to discuss it as this time. This is
the kind of issue which should be discussed at the negotiation table.
Lyse Doucet:
A number of our e-mails have asked questions about what kind of model do you
operate under. For example an e- mail from Kirsty Mckay,
Another e-mail from John Saunders,
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I think many so-called western-style liberal democracies are working in Asian
countries. But I think it's very difficult to talk about a model as such. There
have to be basic democratic institutions. For example, there must be an
independent judiciary, there must be freedom of the press, there must be
regular free and fair elections, there must be elected representatives of the
people.
But having said that, I think in the end we'll develop our own model of
democracy as we go along. But this is not to say that because it is our own
model of democracy, it is any less democratic or any less liberal than, say,
the
The important thing is that the people of
And what do they understand by democracy - I've often asked them - and in
the end it boils down to this. They want to be free to live their lives in
their own way without harming others. They do understand that a democracy means
you have to respect other people's rights as well as defending your own. I have
learnt to respect my people greatly. I have found that very, very ordinary
people in
Lyse Doucet:
But do they ever say to you Aung San Suu Kyi, that they should take action? It
seems to be a lesson of protest movements worldwide that no one gives you
democracy and freedom - you have to fight for it.
The people you meet in
Aung San Suu Kyi:
There are some who see it that way. There are a lot of people who seem to leave
it to my party and me to do whatever is necessary and I often have to remind
them that neither one party nor one person can do everything that is necessary.
A lot of people ask me what they can do and I've thought about it quite a
lot when I was travelling around the Shan states. And
at one point, I decided that one thing that I could ask all the people of
Lyse Doucet:
Give us a specific example you would give to them, how not to, as you put it,
support injustice?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
For example, if they know that something is wrong, if they know that something
is unjust - not to go along with it simply because they're afraid or simply
because they think that it is what those in authority would wish them do. Just
not to say something is good if it's not good. Not to say that something is
just if it is not just. Only that - that's a small thing to start with. But I
think it could achieve a lot.
If everybody in
Lyse Doucet:
We have a caller on the line from
Kyaw Min Soe:
Do you want to see the military regime form their own party and take part in
Burmese politics?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
This is possible but if they will do it under a democratic rules, as it were, I
don't see why they should not be allowed to do that.
Kyaw Min Soe:
My other question is if there is going to be a dialogue between the NLD and the
military regime? So that if the military regime wants to make dialogue do you
want the NLD to go it alone or including CRPP which was formed from the
beginning after the election?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
We agree with the United Nations that real negations - genuine political
negotiations - must include the ethnic nationalities. The great majority of the
ethnic nationality parties have come to the conclusion that they would be quite
happy for negotiations to start just between the SPDC and the NLD. But there
must come a point when everybody else is included. When I say everybody else, I
don't mean the 50 million people in
Lyse Doucet:
We have another Burmese national on the line calling us from
Naing Moe Aung:
In my view for
I think diversity is one of the greatest trends of our country and if we capitalise on that in a correct way, I think we can face
all the challenges ahead of use. So the challenge for us is how to create
strength through diversity and create unity out of it. How can we create an
atmosphere where all our ethnic groups say that this is where we want to go and
we go there together? So how do we create that?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I think that after my visit to the Shan state, I've come to the conclusion that
we're all well on the way to creating unity out of diversity. I think a great
many of our ethnic nationalities have come to the conclusion that we need to be
united - that united we stand and I think we share very many common goals.
This is why it has been such a great happiness for me to have visited the
Shan states. The situation is so much better, so much more encouraging than I
had imagined. The sense of solidarity, the unity within the different ethnic
nationalities is very, very great. We do share common goals and they are aware
of that. So we have to go on trying.
The Burmese are the majority race in
I am not sure which ethnic nationality you belong to, but if you are Burmese
then I think you have to be aware of the fact that you have very many
responsibilities and you must be sensitive to the feelings of other ethnic
nationalities.
Lyse Doucet:
This question of the persecution of minorities has been raised in many e-mails
we've received from around the world. We heard from Aye Aye
Maw in Washington who asked: Do you really think that all the minorities who
wanted to break away from
Another e-mail from
Aung San Suu Kyi:
Democracy does mean pluralism and democracy means equal basic human rights for
everybody. I am confident that we can build up a really strong and united
In some ways, the sufferings we have undergone together have built up a
tremendous feeling of trust among each other. Our sufferings have united us. I
think the world has opened up in such a way that different cultures are able to
reach across to each other.
We all live in the same country - we have lived in the same country for
centuries and because we have lived together so closely, we have had our
problems. You have more problems with your neighbours than with people who live
very far away from you - that's only natural. But I think we can also learn to
be very, very good neighbours in the same way because we all live in this
country we can learn to be very good and loving towards each other. We can
learn to trust each other, we can learn to work together, we can learn to live
together and I think that learning process has already begun.
Lyse Doucet:
We'll take another call now. On the line from
Timothy Lewers:
Even if your presence has moderated the evil in your country, has it been worse
in reality because you prolonged it? You have a personal life to live. I know
that you sacrificed quite a bit as far as your family is concerned. I imagine
that it might have been better if you had deserted the country and let the
government collapse on its basis because of their incompetence. They sort of
held you up as a light - I just wondered if what's really happened has been
worth it for you and for the country?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I'm not the only one who is working for democracy in
In fact, I don't look upon what I have done as making a sacrifice. I've
always said that I made a choice, I didn't make any sacrifices, I simply made
choices and I think a lot of my colleagues feel the same way. They have made
the choices, they do not think that they are making
any sacrifices. But they are very brave and they are very good people and I
would never, never dream of deserting them.
Lyse Doucet:
What about the second part of his question, that simply by your being in
Aung San Suu Kyi:
Well, I do not think so and I do not think the SPDC think that either. It's a
very novel way of looking at the situation.
Lyse Doucet:
Thank you Timothy Lewers but I have to say Aung San
Suu Kyi, I know you don't like to talk about your personal sacrifices but
Stephanie in
Neil is on the line from
Neil:
I wanted to ask you when will you be collecting your Nobel Peace Prize?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I hope as soon as possible because I would like to go to
Neil:
Because you've got a lot of supporters there as well - there are a lot of
exiles living there. The question is, would they be
going back?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I hope so. I'm confident that they will come back one day. But what we don't
know is when that day will come but we would like that day to come as soon as
possible. I want
Neil:
Could you shed a bit more light on the generals? We hear a lot about you but
who are these generals and what are they like? When you talk to them how do
they respond to you?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I think the generals are human beings like all of us. They are Burmese and I
hope because they are Burmese, they will eventually do whatever is best for
After all it is my father who founded the Burmese Army and I do have a sense
of warmth towards the Burmese Army. I was brought up to view soldiers as my
father's sons, if you like. So I've always had a family feeling towards the
armed forces of
I would like these generals to understand that we all have to work together
for the sake of the country. Not for them, not for us but for the country and
our people.
Neil:
In other words, you'd be able to forgive them?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I don't think it's a question of forgiveness. I saw in some Japanese soap opera
which was on Burmese television some time ago, some character said - who am I
to forgive or not forgive. I thought that was rather a nice comment - who am I,
what am I that I should decide whether I forgive people or I do not forgive
people.
Lyse Doucet:
But on that point that Neil made about the military generals, Robert Moore
asked: Are you really free now or are there still limits on your movement?
Do the generals treat you differently? The first time you were released from
house arrest, there were restrictions, are there any now?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
There are no restrictions that I am aware of, I think people do follow me
around to find out what I am doing or perhaps it's simply for my security. I'm
prepared to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Lyse Doucet:
Neil Ritchie,
Aung San Suu Kyi:
No, I've never lost hope. I've lost my temper from time to time though.
Lyse Doucet:
We've heard information over the years of how you spend your time. You are said
to be very disciplined, you follow a strict routine.
We understand that that routine includes listening to the BBC World Service
which is celebrating its 70th birthday this year. The military government in
Aung San Suu Kyi:
It played a very central role in my life during my years of house arrest. I
think I must have listened to the BBC something five to six hours every day at
least. That is how I kept up with what was going on in the world. It gave me
many, many hours of pleasure - it was not just information. It was - what do
you call it - news, views, information and entertainment - I'm not quite sure
what the slogan is. But anyway I got all of that from the BBC and I'm very,
very grateful. I shall always think of the BBC as a lifeline.
Lyse Doucet:
Do you believe that international media, like the BBC, have a role to play in
the struggle for democracy for political change?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
Very much so, this is why I think it is important for the BBC and other news
media to act with a sense of responsibility because their influence can be very
widespread.
Lyse Doucet:
Now throughout this programme you've talked about your methods of resistance.
It's clear you believe in patience. But Barbara Nicholls,
Clearly your sense of political tactics are very
different from Bin Laden but is this inspired in part by your religious
beliefs?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
First of all I don't think I'm particularly patient. I've never liked this idea
of being on a monument smiling at grief - I think it's quite ridiculous. But I
think one has to develop a sense of endurance. One has to be able to endure
whatever one comes across if you are engaged in a struggle like ours.
Has Buddhism played an important part? Yes, Buddhism plays an important part
in my life because it has strengthened me spiritually. It has given me the
strength to continue to work under very, very difficult circumstances.
With regard to the Bin Ladens of
the world, if you are talking about terrorists and of those who believe in
violence. I think that in some cases, violence seems to get the upper
hand from time to time but I think in the long run, violence destroys more than
it creates. So in the long run I think the real winner is non-violence. I don't
think violence is the real winner. But in the short run it may seem as though
violence gets its own way.
Lyse Doucet:
Aung San Suu Kyi:
There are many of course who's life and work have inspired me but I have always
been very open about the fact that it is my father who has been my greatest
inspiration. Not just as a leader but as somebody who was very young at the
time he died and who died without completing his work. And because of that he
has inspired me to try to help our people to complete the process of building
up the kind of country that he would like to have seen.
Lyse Doucet:
There are people around the world who've looked to you for inspiration. You may
know that the Irish rock group, U2, dedicated the music and lyrics of their
song, "Walk On", to you. Steve Elliott in
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I did know about the song. I don't know that they played a particular role in
my release. But I think everybody who supported us has played some role in not
just my release but the release of other political prisoners and I'm very, very
grateful to them. And of course it's a great honour to have a group like U2
dedicate a song to me.
Lyse Doucet:
In all these many years of struggle, you've been continuing, Aung San Suu Kyi,
some people asked about these reports that after you were released in May that
perhaps you were ready now to make concessions. Was there any truth in those
reports?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I've always said that we are ready to engage in give and take. But give and
take has to mean that both sides give as well as take. It doesn't mean that one
side gives everything and the other side takes everything. So give and take is
very important. And we have always believed in flexibility and compromise. Compromise on issues that would affect the whole nation, not
compromise on principles.
Lyse Doucet:
Let's take another call from
Ahmed Nassir:
I'm pleased to at least hear your voice because I have been reading up to this
time about various news items of you being arrested and later released. For a
person like me, coming from a remote region, this is quite exciting. I am also
excited because in spite of the hardships that you faced this moment probably
would be the best time for you to go ahead. I would like to say a lot of things
but let me just say, that it has been great that you have maintained your
spirit and given hope to a lot of people including people like us and I wish
you all the luck. Best wishes to you.
Aung San Suu Kyi:
Thank you very much and I would like you to know that people like you help me a
great deal. There are so many people I don't know who have wished me well and
although I do not know them, each time I hear one person wishing us well, it
has helped me, it has encouraged me. So I would like you to know that every
little bit helps and that nobody is unimportant. Every single well wisher has
done something for us.
Lyse Doucet:
Ahmed Nassir, thank you very much for calling us with
your comments.
Thomas in
Are there any lessons from
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I hope there will be. I think it's a little bit too early to say but I very
much look forward to the time when people all over the world can take lessons
from Burma in the matter of nation building - how we have managed to get over
our differences, how we have managed to work together in trust and confidence
and how we have managed to make our country once again one of the best and
happiest countries in our region.
Lyse Doucet:
It's a mark of your stature, Aung San Suu Kyi that so many of the callers and
so many of the e-mails we've received have asked you for very specific advice -
what countries should do, what they should do as persons, as tourists, as
teachers.
But throughout our conversation with you, you've almost made it seem as
though you want
Aung San Suu Kyi:
Of course they would make a difference. At the right time they would make a
tremendous difference. I think if I have given the impression that I want
I want
Lyse Doucet:
Aung San Suu Kyi, we're very grateful for all the time that you've given us for
today. I know you don't like predictions but for all that you know of what's
going on in
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I think it will have changed. I don't things will remain unchanged for another
year.
Lyse Doucet:
But specifically? Something you're hoping might work out, some specific
changes?
Aung San Suu Kyi:
I can't say specifically what. But whatever change it is, I very much think
that it will be for the better.
Lyse Doucet:
Let's hope it is better for the people, for the country of
Aung San Suu Kyi:
Thank you and you've somehow or other managed to charm me into staying for the
whole 55 minutes. Thank you very much.
[Vicky] Do you want me to leave this last piece out?
Lyse Doucet:
Aung San Suu Kyi, we thank you very, very much. But I have to say it was quite
extraordinary - the e-mails we received for you were very different from others
in Talking Point. They do look to you for wisdom and it's extraordinary how
much your word goes down. People were writing to us about their holidays and
what they planned to do - their lives almost dependent on what you tell them to
do or not to do.
Now I'll stop being a journalist and say as a person that it's been pleasure
for all of here. I have to say that our producers are walking on air for having
had the chance to speak with you and we wish you well and we do wish you well
in
Aung San Suu Kyi:
Thank you very much and I have to say you're irresistible. I meant to get back
to my work here but everybody kept making faces to indicate that I should stay
with you because this is so important.
I'm very grateful to you for everything that you have been to me during
those six years and everything that you are to my people now.
Lyse Doucet:
We thank you and we thank you too all the Burmese - some of whom got up at 4
o'clock in the morning in the United States just for the pleasure to speak with
you and if any of the generals are listening in, we hope for everything to go
well in Burma.