Burmatoday -BURMA DIALOGUE: US urges junta to move faster, release Suu Kyi


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BURMA DIALOGUE: US urges junta to move faster, release Suu Kyi

Published on Apr 12, 2002

US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly said yesterday that he would ask the UN special envoy to Burma, Razali Ismail, whom he will meet in Kuala Lumpur this weekend to seek the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest.

"We were pleased with the release of several NLD [National League for Democracy] people this week, but it is our view that the leader Aung San Suu Kyi should be released from house arrest," he said.

Razali, whose visit to Burma has been delayed by the round-up of members of former dictator Ne Win's family, who were charged with allegedly plotting a coup, will make his seventh trip to Rangoon soon after the coming Songkran holidays to continue his efforts for national reconciliation.

With Razali acting as mediator, generals from the ruling junta have met with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to conduct what they have called a "dialogue for confidence building".

"But I don't think it is clear to anybody outside Burma what is going on. Whose power is increased and whose has been decreased?" Kelly said, adding that he will ask Razali why the previous visit to Rangoon was delayed.

The US official said he would also offer Washington's help if the UN envoy believed it would facilitate the dialogue. "I have a good feeling about what ambassador Razali has done. He has a lot of patience, however, although there are some promising signs, the process goes too slowly. I will ask him if we can take some measures [to speed it up]," Kelly said.

Analysts said the recent round up of a group of Ne Win's family members and friends would further delay national conciliation.

Kelly declined to speculate on the recent incident, saying only that he had no idea what had happened in Rangoon during the past weeks.

"We hope to see the government in Rangoon do a better job. We hope Aung San Suu Kyi will be released and want to see a transparent and open political atmosphere," he said.

Kelly arrived in Thailand on Wednesday for an official visit as part of a tour that will take him to Japan, Malaysia and Hong Kong. He leaves today.

He met with several Thai officials, including Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, but discussed no specific topics.

Kelly said that the US government's recent decision to scrap the automatic six-month visa for those entering the US would not effect Thai visitors, as the visa application process had not been changed.

"Visitors must now inform US immigration upon the arrival how long they intend to stay in the US and for what particular purpose," he said.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee

THE NATION