Reuters-Britain criticises Myanmar

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Britain criticises Myanmar for stopping Suu Kyi 
11:54 a.m. Aug 13, 1998 Eastern 

LONDON, Aug 13 (Reuters) - Britain on Thursday criticised Myanmar's
military rulers for stopping opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from
travelling around the country. 

``I deeply regret that the Burmese regime should, instead of opening
dialogue with the NLD (Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy) and other
democratic leaders, yet again have chosen to stop Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
freely travelling around Burma,'' Foreign Office Minister Derek Fatchett
said. 

He said Britain and other governments had repeatedly made clear that such
interference was ``totally unacceptable.'' 

``Until the regime takes notice, it will continue to do Burma harm in the
eyes of the world,'' Fatchett said. 

Britain, which has previously protested about Myanmar's treatment of Suu
Kyi, has stopped short of calling for sanctions to be imposed on the
country. 

Fatchett's comments came as a roadside stand-off between Suu Kyi and
security guards went into its second day. 

The 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner and two drivers were sitting in a van on
a small wooden bridge over a creek west of the capital Yangon. They were
stopped by police on Wednesday. 

The Myanmar authorities have stepped up action against the NLD since the
party set an ultimatum in June for the government to convene a parliament
by August 21 of members elected at polls in 1990. 

The NLD swept those elections. But the military government has ignored the
result and rejected demands for democracy.