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   DJ#QEQBQFZB 
U.S. Kantor Says Sanctions On Burma May Allow More Democracy
 
 
   BANGKOK (AP-Dow Jones)--U.S. Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor declared=
 Friday
that economic sanctions could force Burma's military dictatorship to allo=
w more
democracy, the strongest statement yet by a senior U.S. official on isola=
ting
the regime. 
   Wrapping up a visit to Asia, Kantor said that U.S. President Bill Clin=
ton's
administration remained deeply concerned about the crackdown on the
pro-democracy movement led by Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace laur=
eate. 
   The White House has so far resisted calls by some members of Congress =
for
sanctions. But the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved a foreig=
n aid
bill Thursday with a clause urging sanctions on the regime as a lever =
to
promote democratic change.0
   Kantor told reporters that he had not seen the wording of the bill, =
but said
that the U.S. government wanted 'to make every effort possible to bring =
change
to Burma.' 
   (END) AP-DOW JONES NEWS 28-06-96
   1010GMT
(AP-DJ-06-28-96 1010GMT)F4688


VVV3822 5 III 00480 -----
AP- BC-Burma-US-Sanctions 
 BC-Burma-US-Sanctions 
 Kantor Says Sanctions on Burma Could Pressure SLORC 
 With BC-Burma 
 AP Photo BK101 
 By PATRICK McDOWELL=3D
 Associated Press Writer=3D
   BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ U.S. Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor
said Friday that economic sanctions could force Burma's military
dictatorship to allow more democracy, the strongest statement yet
by a senior U.S. official on isolating the regime.
   Kantor said the Clinton administration remains deeply concerned
about the crackdown on the pro-democracy movement led by Aung San
Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace laureate.
   The White House has so far resisted calls by some members of
Congress for sanctions. But the U.S. Senate Appropriations
Committee approved a foreign aid bill Thursday with a clause urging
sanctions on the regime as a lever to promote democratic change.
   Kantor told reporters that he had not seen the wording of the
bill, but said that the U.S. government wanted ``to make every
effort possible to bring change to Burma.''
   ``There are times when economic restrictions done in an
appropriate fashion can be very helpful,'' Kantor said. ``There are
times and places where these kinds of measures will make a
difference, and this is one.''
   Regarding penalties applied by the U.S. state of Massachusetts
against companies dealing with Burma, Kantor said that the best
forum for such measures was the federal government.
   Kantor cited two areas where international sanctions helped
bring change, South Africa and Serbia, but an international effort
against Burma could be more difficult.
   The Clinton administration sent two envoys to countries in the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations this month to seek a common
stand on Burma. They came away with no more than a general
agreement that no one wanted the situation to deteriorate.
   Burma hopes to join ASEAN, which includes Malaysia, Indonesia,

Thailand, Brunei, the Philippines, Vietnam and Singapore.
   Apart from Thailand, which shares a sensitive border with Burma,
the member states have generally refused to condemn the ruling
junta, calling the crackdown an internal affair.
   Though the U.S. government has steadily criticized the regime,
U.S. companies remain one of the country's largest investors,
taking advantage of a reversal of decades of economic isolation.
   Suu Kyi last month staged her boldest act of defiance since her
release from six years of house arrest in July 1995, holding a
congress of her National League of Democracy despite the arrest of
262 supporters.
   The ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council, or SLORC,
has since imposed harsh new laws restricting political activity.
   The military has ruled Burma since 1962. Suu Kyi, daughter of
independence hero Aung San, emerged as the country's pro-democracy
leader during protests in 1988 brutally crushed by the army.
   
281024 Jun GMT


REU1091 3 OVR 415 ( RWS ) H28102654
BC-BURMA-KANTOR
Kantor says economic sanctions on Burma may help
    By Deborah Charles
    BANGKOK, June 28 (Reuter) - U.S. Commerce Secretary Mickey
Kantor said on Friday that economic sanctions against Burma
could help pressure the country's military leaders into making
changes.
    "The administration is deeply concerned about the situation
in Burma," Kantor told reporters during a visit to Thailand.
    "We are deeply committed to...democratic governments," he
said. "This regime in Burma has cracked down on democratic
freedom of association and pluralism and on democratic
institutions, and we're concerned."
    Kantor said the U.S. government wants to make every possible
effort to bring about change in Burma.
    "There are times when economic restrictions done in an
appropriate fashion...can be very helpful," he said, citing the
economic sanctions used against Serbia, South Africa, Libya and
Iran.
    On Thursday, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee
approved a foreign aid bill that requires economic restrictions
be imposed on Burma, an issue pressed by foreign operations
subcommittee chairman Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican.
    Kantor said he had not seen the language of the bill and did
not want to comment on the exact wording, but that he favoured
taking necessary steps to help out in Burma.
    "I'm in favour of taking effective action with regard to the
actions of this regime," he said.
    With regard to a bill passed by Massachusetts this week
barring the U.S. state from dealing with companies that do
business in Burma, Kantor said that issue was best left to the
federal government.
    Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has called on
international companies not to invest in Burma until the
military government in Rangoon agrees to work toward democracy.
    Burma's ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council took
power in 1988 and suppressed a nationwide democracy movement.
    The United States and other nations have protested a renewed
crackdown on the pro-democracy movement that saw the detention
in May of more than 250 members of Suu Kyi's National League for
Democracy ahead of a controversial party congress.
    In a speech to the American Chamber of Commerce, Kantor said
the United States and Thailand enjoyed strong relations, and
American businesses should come to take advantage of Thailand's
growing economy.
    "Thai-U.S. relations have never been stronger, and we want
to make them even stronger," Kantor told reporters after meeting
with Thai Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa and other top
government officials.