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Australia officials seek access to
- Subject: Australia officials seek access to
- From: moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 29 Mar 1998 21:19:00
Australia officials seek access to hostage in Myan
12:32 a.m. Mar 29, 1998 Eastern
MELBOURNE, March 29 (Reuters) - Australian officials said on Sunday they
were concerned about an Australian citizen who they believed had been
abducted on the Thai-Myanmar (Burma) border.
Artist Nicholas Cheesman, 28, was believed to have been forced into Myanmar
with a Thai colleague last Friday by the pro-Myanmar government Democratic
Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), said a spokesman for the Department of Foreign
Affairs and Trade.
According to press reports quoting Thai military officials,
Cheesman had been taking pictures of a DKBA camp that had been
shelled by the opposition Karen National Union.
``We are concerned for the safety and welfare of Mr Cheesman and are in
close contact with Thai and Burmese authorities,'' the foreign affairs
spokesman said, speaking from Canberra.
``Our staff in Bangkok are seeking consular access to Mr Cheesman and an
officer will go to the area as soon as it's practicably possible,'' he said.
^REUTERS@
Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited.