DOWNER IN BURMA: Rangoon told to do more

Published on Oct 4, 2002

Returning Australian foreign minister says political reform vital for progress

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said yesterday that his government wanted to see a speedy national reconciliation in Burma following substantive dialogue between the junta and Aung San Suu Kyi.

Downer was in Bangkok yesterday after a two-day official visit to Rangoon during which he met the junta's generals and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

"The process of national reconciliation needs to move forward, which includes dialogue between the junta and Aung San Suu Kyi, more releases of political prisoners and improvement in the human rights record," said Downer.

He is the highest Australian official to visit Burma in several years.

Canberra has a moderate view towards political developments in Burma and strongly supported the efforts of the UN special envoy to Burma, Razali Ismail, to facilitate political dialogue and national reconciliation.

"Razali had some success [in getting Aung San Suu Kyi and some other political prisoners released], but it was not a lot. We look forward to faster and more effective progress in weeks ahead," he told reporters.

Downer said he told the generals in Rangoon, including the junta chairman Than Shwe and powerful intelligence chief Khin Nyunt, that Burma's economy had great potential for development but foreign investment would flow in only if investors were confident about political reform.

"They said they are moving forward to democracy but that they need to have constitutional progress and constitutional reform," Downer said, adding that the junta did not give a timeframe for this.

Downer said Suu Kyi, with whom he had a 90-minute meeting, was sceptical about the junta's commitment given her experiences in Burmese politics, including its refusal to accept the results of a general election in 1990.

Downer yesterday spent about half an hour with the Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai discussing the situation in Rangoon and cooperation on reducing narcotics production in Burma.

Surakiart said the Narcotics Control Broad would submit a proposal for Australian financial support for a crop-substitution project in drug-producing Wa-controlled areas.

The two ministers also signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation against international terrorism.

Supalak Ganjanakhundee

THE NATION

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