US State Dept. 5/24

[mcs@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

TEXT:  SLORC MUST TALK TO BURMA'S LEGITIMATE REPRESENTATIVES

(State Department recommends caution for Burma travel)  (470)

Washington -- Because Burma's ruling State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC) has conducted a massive roundup of democracy activists
in the past several days, the State Department is recommending that
Americans exercise all due caution in traveling in Burma, and consider
curtailing nonessential travel for the time being.

In a statement issued by the State Department May 23, the Clinton
administration renewed its call for a meaningful political dialogue
between the Burmese authorities and the democratic opposition leaders
and representatives of the ethnic groups in Burma.

"~We will continue to make it clear to the military regime that it
will not begin to gain international legitimacy until it starts
talking to the legitimate representatives of the Burmese people, as a
basis for stability and calm," the statement said.

Following is the official text of the State Department statement:

(begin official text)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman

May 23, 1996

STATEMENT BY NICHOLAS BURNS/SPOKESMAN

SITUATION IN BURMA

During the past several days, the ruling State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC) in Burma has conducted a massive roundup
of democracy activists to prevent a gathering called by Nobel Peace
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi at her home in Rangoon. Many of the some 200
persons arrested had been elected to parliament in 1990, but not
allowed to take their seats.

The SLORC has announced that it has taken these actions to "avoid
bloodshed," despite the fact that the military regime itself is the
only one that might be the cause of such bloodshed. The
state-dominated press has run many stories in recent weeks vilifying
the opposition and accusing Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters of
being ~~"traitors" and threatening action against them. These threats
and bellicose statements have ominous antecedents. In 1988, the
military regime cracked down brutally on a largely peaceful
pro-democracy movement. More than 2,000 persons were killed, and
foreign residents and visitors placed in jeopardy.

Because of concern about the actions by the SLORC and the potential
for violence, the State Department is recommending that Americans
exercise all due caution in traveling in Burma, and consider
curtailing nonessential travel for the time being.

The United States renews its call for a meaningful political dialogue
between the Burmese authorities and the democratic opposition leaders
and representatives of the ethnic groups as the only path to a
solution of Burma~'s crisis. We will continue to make it clear to the
military regime that it will not begin to gain international
legitimacy until it starts talking to the legitimate representatives
of the Burmese people, as a basis for stability and calm.

(end official text)