U.S.Department of State Press State

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

 U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
Press Statement 


 
Press Statement by James B. Foley, Acting Spokesman
August 21, 1998

Burma--August 21 Deadline for Convening the Parliament 
In June of this year, Burma's primary opposition party, the National League
for Democracy (NLD), called on the ruling State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC) to convene the parliament elected in 1990 by today, August
21. We deeply regret the Burmese government's rejection of this historic
opportunity to respond to the NLD's call.

The solution to Burma's political impasse can only be achieved through a
meaningful dialogue between the Burmese government and the representatives
of the Burmese people. We note the informal meeting held on Tuesday, August
18, between General Khin Nyunt, SPDC Secretary One, and Aung Shwe, Chairman
of the NLD. We hope that the government's initiative in inviting Aung Shwe
to this meeting will be a first step leading to a meaningful dialogue. We
support the NLD's long-expressed commitment to reconciliation through
genuine dialogue.

If a genuine dialogue is to succeed it must be without conditions and
include all interested groups -- the government, the NLD, including its
leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and representatives of Burma's ethnic minorities.
We hope it will be accompanied very soon by genuine confidence-building
measures on the government's part, including the release of political
prisoners and detained Members of Parliament. 

Such a dialogue would be a means to larger ends: the restoration of
democracy in Burma, an improved standard of living for all Burmese people,
and the resumption of Burma's rightful place in the community of nations. To
that end, the United States remains committed to working in partnership with
all parties of good will in Burma and with others in the international
community.





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