Daily News- August 18- 2002- Sunday

  • Border Talks over checkpoint in doubt
  • Mahathir says not meeting Burma's Suu Kyi
  • Malaysia PM to urge Burmese dialogue

    • Border Talks over checkpoint in doubt

    Source : Bangkok Post

    A Township Border Committee meeting planned for today in Tachilek opposite Chiang Rai may be cancelled since Rangoon has yet to confirm it will come.

    The meeting would have paved the way for Burma reopening the Mae Sai-Tachilek border checkpoint, which it closed in May when relations soured.

    A source from the Thai TBC said the panel was waiting for word from Burma's TBC chaired by 526th Infantry Battalion commander Lt-Col Tun Aung on whether the meeting would be held.

    The Thai TBC was told on Tuesday that Rangoon wanted a meeting today.

    ``The government and military have told the Thai TBC to get ready for the checkpoint to be reopened. But the Burmese side claims there is no approval from Rangoon yet,'' the source said.

    Some Burmese TBC members who returned from a meeting in Rangoon to Tachilek on Friday said the TBC meeting would not go ahead at this time nor would the checkpoint be reopened.

    However, all 20 Burmese TBC members were in Tachilek on standby, just in case Rangoon changed its mind.

    A military intelligence source said Burma's deputy military intelligence chief Maj-Gen Kyaw Win had been in Tachilek since last weekend. His stay suggested there was still a chance the checkpoint would reopen today.

    But according to an AFP report, Burma had no plans to reopen border checkpoints. ``We have no plans to do so at this juncture,'' Maj-Gen Kyaw Win told reporters.

    Junta spokesman Col Hla Min also told AFP that speculation surrounding the reopening had been going on for some time, but was one-sided.

    ``We can't go and unlock the gates just like that. Even if the authorities decided to do so we would still have to prepare the groundwork, so it's unlikely that they will be reopened soon.''

    In another development, a source from the Fourth Cavalry Regiment task force said tension along the border mounted after Burmese troops stationed at Ban Mae Rin base opposite Mae Sai fired gun shots late on Friday night. The reason was unclear.

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    Mahathir says not meeting Burma's Suu Kyi

    Source : MSNBC / Reuters

    KUALA LUMPUR, Aug. 18 -- Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who leaves for Burma later on Sunday, said he would not be meeting the country's main opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi for talks.

    ''No, I'm not intending to see her this time,'' Mahathir told reporters after launching a powerboat race in the Malaysian capital. He did not elaborate.

    Mahathir, who will be in Burma for a day, is set to hold business and political talks with the country's ruling junta.

    Malaysia has led international diplomatic efforts to engage the military government and coax its leaders towards national reconciliation and democracy.

    Suu Kyi, who heads the main opposition National League for Democracy party which won 1990 elections in Burma but was never allowed to govern, began confidential talks with the junta in October 2000.

    Malaysian diplomat and U.N. special envoy to Burma, Razali Ismail, achieved a breakthrough in May this year when he convinced Rangoon's military leaders -- after more than a year of talks -- to release Suu Kyi from house arrest.

    The junta released her from 19 months of house arrest in May, raising hopes of substantive talks between her and the military on the country's political future.

    However, the talks have yet to move beyond so-called ''confidence building'' to issues of real reform.

    Razali said earlier this month he expected substantive talks between Suu Kyi and the military to begin ''very, very soon.''

    While western governments have shunned Burma's leaders for their bloody repression of pro-democracy activists, Malaysia has maintained a policy of constructive engagement with Burma.

    Mahathir will be accompanied by a 300-strong delegation, which includes his country's foreign, energy and trade ministers and business leaders.

    Officials said business deals to be pursued during the trip included joint oil exploration between the two countries and construction of hydro-power plants.

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    Malaysia PM to urge Burmese dialogue

    Source : BBC

    Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad is beginning a two-day visit to Burma on Sunday.

    Officials in Kuala Lumpur say Doctor Mahathir is likely to meet pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, during his trip.

    While most Western governments have attempted to isolate Burma's military dictatorship, Malaysia has been at the forefront of international efforts to urge its generals to adopt more democratic principles.

    Observers believe the prime minister's visit will be significant, because he is expected to privately urge Burma's generals to engage in dialogue with the main opposition party, the National League for Democracy.

    Asean link

    The Malaysian prime minister has been a key supporter of Burma's military government.

    Doctor Mahathir is an influential figure in Rangoon.

    He was instrumental in helping Burma join Asean, the region's powerful political and trade bloc.

    Most Western countries have not been so supportive.

    The European Union and the United States have imposed sanctions to punish the dictatorship.

    Compromise call

    NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who was released from house arrest in May, has told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz she is ready to compromise with the country's military rulers.

    "Dialogue always entails compromise," Haaretz quoted her as saying.

    There are no firm plans for her to see Doctor Mahathir, although officials have said a meeting was likely.

    Progress towards political reforms in the former British colony has been painfully slow.

    Both sides are still extremely wary of each other and are engaging in confidence-building before any formal discussions can take place.

    Burma's generals have insisted they are committed to democracy, but have said moving too fast could cause the multi-ethnic country to fall apart.

    The army has held power for 40 years. Hundreds of political prisoners have been released by the military authorities in recent months, including six on Friday.

    These are seen as more positive signs that talks on reconciliation could take place sooner rather than later.

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