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re voa burma



re voice of america, grace de Dawn Star, Paris 
DATE=3/17/96
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-194412
TITLE=THAILAND / BURMA (L-O)
BYLINE=DAVID BUTLER
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  THAI PRIME MINISTER BANHARN SILIPA-ARCHA FLEW TO RANGOON 
TODAY (SUNDAY) FOR A TWO-DAY VISIT AIMED AT IMPROVING STRAINED 
RELATIONS.  AS DAVID BUTLER REPORTS FROM BANGKOK, CRITICS SAY THE
TRIP WILL GIVE CREDIBILITY TO BURMA'S RULING MILITARY JUNTA.

TEXT:  PRIME MINISTER BANHARN IS THE FIRST THAI HEAD OF 
GOVERNMENT TO GO TO RANGOON IN 16 YEARS.  HIS FOUR PREDECESSORS 
DECLINED TO MAKE THE TRIP BECAUSE OF THE RULING MILITARY 
COUNCIL'S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD.

MR. BANHARN LEADS A 50-MEMBER DELEGATION THAT INCLUDES THE DEPUTY
PRIME MINISTER IN CHARGE OF FINANCE AND ECONOMICS AND THE FOREIGN
MINISTER.

A FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAID THE VISIT IS AIMED AT CREATING 
BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND RELATIONS BETWEEN THE NEIGHBORING 
COUNTRIES.

PRIME MINISTER BANHARN IS SCHEDULED TO MEET MONDAY WITH GENERAL 
THAN SHWE, CHAIRMAN OF THE RULING STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION
COUNCIL, AND LIEUTENANT-GENERAL KHIN NYUNT, ITS FIRST SECRETARY 
AND THE HEAD OF BURMA'S MILITARY INTELLIGENCE.

THAILAND AND ITS SIX PARTNERS IN THE ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST 
ASIAN NATIONS -- BRUNEI, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, THE PHILIPPINES, 
SINGAPORE AND VIETNAM -- MAINTAIN A POLICY OF CONSTRUCTIVE 
ENGAGEMENT WITH BURMA, SAYING THIS IS MORE LIKELY TO PROMOTE 
REFORM THAN ISOLATING THE REGIME.

BUT BILATERAL RELATIONS ARE STRAINED.  THERE IS THE HISTORICAL 
FACT THAT BURMA SACKED THE SIAMESE CAPITAL OF AYUTHAYA IN 1767, 
TAKING THE KING, QUEEN AND CROWN PRINCE AS TROPHIES.

THAILAND ACCUSES THE BURMESE MILITARY OF REGULAR INCURSIONS INTO 
THAI TERRITORY IN PURSUIT OF ETHNIC REBELS BASED NEAR THE BORDER.
RANGOON CRITICIZED THAILAND FOR GIVING SANCTUARY TO THE REBEL 
FIGHTERS AND THEIR FAMILIES.

BURMA CLOSED OFF ALL LEGAL TRADE ACROSS THE BORDER LAST YEAR.

DURING THE CURRENT TRIP, PRIME MINISTER BANHARN AND BURMESE 
LEADERS WILL WITNESS THE SIGNING OF AN AGREEMENT TO RE-OPEN THREE
BORDER CROSSING POINTS.

AFTER THE MEETING IN RANGOON MONDAY, THE THAI DELEGATION WILL FLY
TO MANDALAY AND VISIT THE CITY'S NEW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.  AN 
ITALIAN-THAI CONSTRUCTION COMPANY WON A 150 MILLION DOLLAR 
CONTRACT TO BUILD THE AIRPORT TERMINAL.

CRITICS OF MR. BANHARN'S TRIP SAY THAI BUSINESSMEN AND GENERALS 
ARE MORE INTERESTED IN DOING BUSINESS WITH THE BURMESE -- 
INCLUDING DESTROYING BURMA'S TROPICAL HARDWOOD FORESTS -- THAN 
WITH CHANGING THE MILITARY COUNCIL'S WIDELY-ACKNOWLEDGED HUMAN 
RIGHTS ABUSES.  (SIGNED)

NEB/DB/TMS/WJK 

17-Mar-96 4:18 AM EST (0918 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America