VOA : ASEAN / BURMA - ROGER WILKISO

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Voice of America
DATE=7/29/98

ASEAN / BURMA 
ROGER WILKISON(MANILA)
  

INTRO:  BURMA HAS REJECTED A REQUEST BY SEVERAL COUNTRIES TO 
ALLOW JAPANESE AND U-S DIPLOMATS IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO OPPOSITION 
LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI, WHO HAS SPENT SIX DAYS AT A POLICE 
ROADBLOCK OUTSIDE THE BURMESE CAPITAL, RANGOON.  V-O-A 
CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS BURMESE FOREIGN MINISTER OHN
GYAW TOLD REPORTERS IN MANILA THAT HIS GOVERNMENT DOES  NOT  
BELIEVE SUCH A MEETING IS URGENT.

TEXT:  BURMA'S REJECTION COMES A DAY AFTER FOREIGN MINISTERS AND 
OTHER TOP OFFICIALS OF SIX COUNTRIES AND THE EUROPEAN UNION HELD 
AN INFORMAL MEETING WITH OHN GYAW TO ASK THAT THE JAPANESE 
AMBASSADOR AND THE U-S CHARGE D'AFFAIRES IN RANGOON BE GIVEN 
ACCESS TO AUNG SAN SUU KYI.  THE MINISTERS WERE ATTENDING THE 
ANNUAL POST-MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE BETWEEN SOUTHEAST ASIAN 
NATIONS AND THEIR MAIN DIPLOMATIC PARTNERS.

THE BURMESE FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS THE WORD FROM RANGOON IS THAT 
THERE IS  NO  NEED FOR SUCH A MEETING AT THIS TIME.

                      /// OHN GYAW ACT ///

 AT THIS JUNCTURE, THE MEETING BETWEEN THE JAPANESE AMBASSADOR 
AND THE U-S CHARGE D'AFFAIRES WITH AUNG SAN SUU KYI IS  NOT  
URGENTLY NEEDED, AND THE AUTHORITIES WILL COMPLY WITH THE REQUEST
WHEN NECESSARY.

                         /// END ACT ///

OHN GYAW SAYS THE AUTHORITIES IN HIS COUNTRY WILL RESOLVE THE 
IMPASSE BETWEEN AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND BURMESE SECURITY FORCES BY 
VARIOUS MEANS AND ON A STEP-BY-STEP BASIS. HE GAVE  NO  DETAILS.

AUNG SAN SUU KYI IS IN THE SIXTH DAY OF A STAND-OFF WITH POLICE, 
WHO STOPPED HER CAR OUTSIDE RANGOON LAST FRIDAY WHEN SHE TRIED TO
MEET WITH MEMBERS OF HER NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY.  THE 
SEVEN COUNTRIES PLEADING THE N-L-D LEADER'S CASE SAY THEY ARE 
CONCERNED ABOUT HER HEALTH, BUT THE BURMESE FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS
AS FAR AS HE KNOWS THE 1991 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE WINNER'S HEALTH IS 
GOOD.

SPEAKING FOR THE EUROPEAN UNION, AUSTRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER 
WOLFGANG SCHUESSEL CALLED THE BURMESE RESPONSE TO THE 
MULTINATIONAL REQUEST UNSATISFACTORY AND DESCRIBED AUNG SAN SUU 
KYI'S SITUATION AS UNBEARABLE.

                      /// SCHUESSEL ACT ///

                 I THINK ITS UNBEARABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE, AND I 
                 THINK WHAT WE TRIED TO GET WAS A POSITIVE ANSWER
                 TO SEND THE AMBASSADORS AND TO DE-BLOCK THE CAR.
                 AND I THINK THE RESPONSE IS  NOT SATISFYING -- 
                 THAT'S CLEAR.

                         /// END ACT //

AUSTRALIAN FOREIGN MINISTER ALEXANDER DOWNER ECHOS MR. 
SCHUESSEL'S REACTION.  HE SAYS EFFORTS TO PRESS FOR A MEETING 
BETWEEN THE RANGOON-BASED DIPLOMATS AND AUNG SAN SUU KYI WILL 
CONTINUE.

                       /// DOWNER ACT ///

                 I HAVE TO SAY THAT WE'RE VERY DISAPPOINTED ABOUT
                 THAT.  OUR  UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT THERE WOULD 
                 BE NO OBSTACLE TO THE AMBASSADORS' MEETING WITH 
                 AUNG SAN SUU KYI, AND SO WE ARE LOOKING TO 
                 CONTINUE TO PRESS FOR SUCH A MEETING TO TAKE 
                 PLACE.

                         /// END ACT ///

BURMA HAS ACCUSED AUNG SAN SUU KYI OF STAGING A PUBLICITY STUNT 
TO DRAW ATTENTION TO HERSELF DURING THE CONFERENCE IN MANILA.   
(SIGNED)

NEB/RW/GC/FC/WTW

29-Jul-98 5:09 AM EDT (0909 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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