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Solidarity with D V B



Reactions to the veto of German Foreign Ministry put on DVB radio station

# The Bonner opposition has stigmatized the veto of the Foreign Ministry, 
   which retarded the German support for a radio station of the Burmese 
   democratic movement by expressing:
   " This is a typical example of the deceitful double-dealing character of 
     the German Foreign Policy."

# Dr. Angelika Koester-Lossack, Member of German Parliament of the 
   Alliance-Green Party, Fax: +49 228 1686012.
   She said, " This is an extreme scandal and contradiction to the 
                        German Burma Politics " in raising a protest against 
                       the decision of the German Foreign Ministry that vedoed 
                       the contract of the DVB with the Deutsche Telekom.
                       The DVB, based in Oslo and endorsed by the Nobel Peace 
                       Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, is trying to improve its
reception 
                       quality inside Burma.

# Norbert Gansel, Member of German Parliament of the major opposition 
   Socialdemocratic Party (SPD) and Vice-Chairman of the Foreign Policy 
   Committee of the Parliament accused the Foreign Ministry 
   " of seemingly having more scruples about exporting opinions than 
     about exporting weapons."

# Dr. Ermgard Schwaetzer, Member of German Parliament of the 
   government-coalition Free Democratic Party (FDP) critisized the veto of 
   the Foreign Ministry, in which her party colleague Dr. Klaus Kinkel is 
   the Foreign Minister. She claimed the ' indifferent position ' of the 
   Foreign Ministry, saying such an indifferent attitude cannot be anymore 
   justified after the period of east-west conflict. Criticism should now be 
   developed in order to be able to support the democratic movements.
   Just currentlya month ago, the Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation, which 
   affiliated to FDP, has invited the representatives of the Burmese 
   government-in-exile in support of the democratic movement. 
   According to the assessment of Dr. Peter Traub, regional director of 
   the FNF in Bangkok, the exile radio station is broadcasting valuable 
   informations into the country, where the military ruled and media 
   news coverage is highly manipulated.

# The Burma Bureau, Germany  regrets that the German Foreign 
   Ministry took such unexpected measure, having really known the 
   worst situation of gross human rights violations committed by the 
   ruling military dictators in Burma. The Burmese community, 
   particularly in Germany and generally in Europe, is entirely surprised 
   by the Foreign Ministry's decision, but still hope and wish very much 
   for reconsideration by higher authorities. 
   It is to be remembered that the significant role of the Radio Free Europe,
   which effectively transmitted from Munnich/Germany during the cold-war 
   period, has been highly appreciated and held in esteem.

N.B :  If you have any constructive as well as critical opinions to be expressed

          to the German Foreign Ministry in Bonn, here is the fax number:

              German Foreign Ministry : Fax  +49 228 171703

Solidarity with D V B,

Nwe Aung / Burma Bureau, Germany. Fax  +49 2173 907334