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"Burma defends rights record from U



Reply-To: south@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (SAFHR KATHMANDU)
Subject: "Burma defends rights record from US attack"

"Burma defends rights record from US attack" 
The Kathmandu Post
Wednesday, July 30, 1997

Kuala Lumpur, July 29(AFP)- Burmese Froeign Minister Ohn Ghaw defends his
country's human rights record Tuesday after it was raked over the coal by
US Secretary of State Medeline Albright at ASEAN meeting here.

He blamed "wrong report" in the press for misconceptions about rhe human
rights situation in Burma which, he said, was "going  to the direction of
democracy."

In statements Sunday and Monday at meetings between ASEAN and its main
Western and regional trade partners, Albright hammered away at Burma,
linking the ruilng junta to drug trfficking and money laundering.

Asked to respond to the charges, Ohn Gyaw told a news conferecne concluding
the ASEAN meeting:" We do have law. We do have the process how to eliminate
the suspicion of money-laundering."

Burma was admitted, along with Loas, to the Association of Southeast Asia
Ntions(ASEAN) last week over the objections of ASEAN's western partners who
critized the ruling junt's record on political and human rights.

There was no honeymoon period, however, as the United States, Australia,
Canada and European Union(EU) tackled Burma head-on at Kuala Lumpur
meetings.

Speaking for the EU, Derek Fatchet, British Minister of state for foreign
and commonwealth affairs, told the news conference that EU would not budge
in its opposition to Burmese junta until it made "fundamental movement"
toward democracy and humanrights.

Ohn Gyaw had remained impassive through the sessions, but scowled when
pressed at the news conference to respond to Albright's latest critism.

"As far as the question of human rights in concerned, I have to say that
the press have been making wrong reports," Ohn Gyaw told reporters.

"But when the press is picking up certain information from a source which
is against the government, then of course there are some misunderstanding
and misconceptions," he said.

He said Burma had been cooperating with the United Nations and with the
Human Rights Commission in Geneva "in a manner that is responsible." 

Earlier, in an interview with CNN, Ohn Gyaw dismissed allegations of human
rights abuses in Burma,saying the charges came from insurgents and the
dissidents.

"When actually you come to visit our country, you will see that we treat
our people much more fairly than they treat them in the West," he said.

He contended that Burma's military rulers did not need opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi or others to push for democracy as it was already
"committed" to acheving a democratic system.

"Whether she is there or she's not there, the systerm will be there," the
Burmese mimister said."With or without her, there will be democracy."

"With or without dialogue, there will be democracy. We are trying to
build a system, not with a person but with the people of a country, he
said.

ASEAN officials, who privately acknowledge the problems in Burma,
genrerally kept quiet during the meetings, neither adding to the critism
nor springing to their new member's defense.

Philippines Foreign Minister Domingo  Siazon, the first ASEAN minister to
speak up publicily, remarked Tuesday that Burma's membership would
provide "the approprite forum" for ASEAN's partners to convey their
opinions. 

Referrring to the harsh attacks on Burma, Siazon said that, "despite the
rather high level of decibels with which some of the statement have been
made," the sanctions imposed by Western countries would not work.

"I can assure you that if economic sanctions are imposed by so many
countries on Myanmar(BURMA), you will have its neighbouring countries to
trade with it. So there will be no real impact on it," he added.